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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26412697">The Once And Future Kings</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/prettymalfoy/pseuds/prettymalfoy'>prettymalfoy</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Merlin (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon Rewrite, Dialogue Heavy, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/F, M/M, Merlin is a Little Shit, Merlin is a Prince, Merlin's Magic Revealed (Merlin), Royal Merlin (Merlin), Slow Burn, secret royalty</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-05-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 12:28:47</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>22,314</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26412697</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/prettymalfoy/pseuds/prettymalfoy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Father,” The young prince whines, eyes wide, looking up at the King and Queen with a look of disbelief on his face. “You can’t send me there!”<br/>“Merlin,” Balinor sighs from his place on his throne. “It is your destiny to protect Arthur Pendragon and unite the lands of Albion. I do not understand how you hope to achieve that by remaining in Spero,”<br/>“B... But it’s Camelot!” Merlin is shrieking now, hands pulling at his hair in terror. Hunith looks sadly at her son as she stands up, holding out her hands for the teen to take. “Uther, he could…... I could be killed!”<br/>------------<br/>In which Merlin is secretly a Prince of a magical kingdom, and has come to Camelot to fulfill his destiny and protect Arthur Pendragon.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Gwen/Morgana (Merlin), Knights of the Round Table &amp; Merlin (Merlin), Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>44</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>344</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. chapter one</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <h5>PROLOUGE</h5>
<p>Most of the people in the throne room are silent, watching from the sides. </p>
<p>“Father,” The young prince whines, eyes wide, looking up at the King and Queen with a look of disbelief on his face. “You can’t send me there!”</p>
<p>“Merlin,” Balinor sighs from his place on his throne, “It is your destiny to protect Arthur Pendragon and unite the lands of Albion. I do not understand how you hope to achieve that by remaining in Spero,”</p>
<p>“B... But it’s Camelot!” Merlin is shrieking now, hands pulling at his hair in terror. Hunith looks sadly at her son as she stands up, holding out her hands for the teen to take. “Uther, he could…... I could be killed!”</p>
<p>“Sweetheart,” she murmurs into his hair as she takes his shaking hands in her own. “If there was any other way for you to protect him, you know we would do it. But this prophecy, it tells us that you and The Once and Future King will bring magic back to the lands of Albion. You are doing a very important duty for your people, Merlin, even if it’s in Camelot.”</p>
<p>“And if Uther Pendragon even thinks about hurting you, son, he will have a war to worry about.” </p>
<p>Merlin lifts his eyes to the King as he feels his hand grasp his shoulder. Both of his parents are watching him with sadness filling their eyes, pained, knowing that they are sending their son off to live in a Kingdom that is open with their hatred of Merlin’s kind.<br/>
Magic users across the land know of Camelot’s hatred of their kind, and many of them had fled the kingdom during the years of the Great Purge. The majority of those who had fled found solace in Spero, a land that was thought to have been lost years ago and remains hidden from other lands of Albion. Sixteen years after the start of the Purge and Spero is still growing stronger; King Balinor and Queen Hunith took in and provided homes for magic users who had found themselves without refuge. The Kingdom allows free use of magic, and even trains its knights in the use of protective and healing spells in case they should find themselves in battle. </p>
<p>“Gaius will look after you, Sweet,” his mother places a hand on his face, rubbing a thumb across the cheekbone. “Maybe he could help you with your healing, so you won’t almost kill someone while trying to fix a grazed arm!” A wet laugh forces its way from Merlin’s throat as tears formed in his eyes.</p>
<p>“And we’ll find excuses to send people to visit every now and then, so we can keep you updated, and you can update us of your progress with The Once and Future King,”</p>
<p>“Thank you, Father,” The young boy takes a step away from his parents, wiping under his eyes softly with his thumbs, before straightening up. “If I may be dismissed, I must go and prepare for my journey.”</p>
<p>Balinor and Hunith both nod their heads at their son and watch as he bows slightly before making his way out of the throne room.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The following morning, the King and Queen of Spero stand on the stairs to their palace as they, and their citizens, watch as their Prince begins his journey to Camelot.<br/>
 </p><h5>CHAPTER ONE</h5>
<p>The first sight that greets Merlin when he arrives in Camelot is a crowd of people staring up at a palace balcony. When he looks closer, he sees that there is a podium in the middle of the crowd, with a block placed in the centre. A man is being led towards the block as a voice booms out from the balcony.</p>
<p>“Let this serve as a lesson to all!” The King of Camelot calls to his subjects gathered below him in the citadel. A boy, a few years older than Merlin, stands slightly behind the King to the left, and a woman, a few years older still, is gripping his hand tightly. “This man, Thomas James Collins, is adjudged guilty of conspiring to use enchantments and magic, and pursuant to the laws of Camelot I, Uther Pendragon, have decreed that such practices are banned on penalty of death. I pride myself as a fair and just king but for the crime of sorcery there is but one sentence I can pass.”</p>
<p>Merlin watches as Uther raises his hand, the movement being mirrored by the executioner raising the axe. The crowd is silent as the tension in the air rises, the beat of drums mirroring Merlin’s heartbeat as he watches with bated breath. The world seems to slow as Uther’s hand falls and the axe connects with its target. The crowd gasps as one. Uther looks down at his subjects.</p>
<p>“When I came to this land, this kingdom was mired in chaos, but with the peoples’ help, magic was driven from the realm. So, I declare a festival, to celebrate 20 years since the Great Dragon was slain, and Camelot freed from the evil of sorcery.<br/>
“Let the celebrations begin!” As Uther turns back towards his castle, there is a scream in the mass of people. People split apart, leaving a wide circle around a wailing woman who stares up at Uther. She gasps loudly before calling up at the King.</p>
<p>“There is only one evil in this land, and it is not magic! It is you, with your hatred and your ignorance! You took my son! I promise you, before these celebrations are over, you will share my tears. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a son for a son-”</p>
<p>“Seize her!” At the King’s order, guards start to move towards the woman. Before they can get close enough to touch her, the woman clutches her hand around her necklace and starts chanting. Merlin recognises the words of the Old Religion and watches as the woman disappears into a tornado. The wind calms moments later, the woman nowhere to be seen. The guards stumble to a stop, looking around, desperately looking for their conquest.</p>
<p>King Uther pauses for a moment in shock before he retreats into the castle, followed by the boy and now sobbing woman, and the crowd in the citadel begin to disperse. Merlin makes his way around the square before approaching the guards at an entrance to the palace. </p>
<p>“Excuse me? Where would I find Gaius, the court physician?” The guard points at a set of stairs behind him, before moving to the side to let Merlin through.<br/>
He makes his way through the archway and up the stairs towards the wooden door at the top. He knocks gently on the door before pushing it open and walking through, looking around.<br/>
“Gaius?” He calls into the room as he shuts the door behind him. “Gaius?” he asks louder this time, placing his bag down beside him. </p>
<p>When he receives no response, he takes the opportunity to have a look around. Tables all around the room are laden with books and papers. There are jars of liquids of varying colours on each of the table, some of them settled a top small flames, bubbling from the heat. As he walks further into the room, Merlin finds a table full of ingredients, ranging from beautiful flowers to fowl smelling pastes, each one of them labelled carefully. He takes a flower from one of the piles and brings it up to his nose. As he reaches over to place the flower back, his hand knocks a glass that is placed close to the edge of the table.<br/>
“Oh, no, shit-”</p>
<p>“I see your knight training hasn’t made you any less clumsy, My Lord,” A voice from the door makes Merlin jump.</p>
<p>“Uncle Gaius!” He rubs the back of his neck nervously. “I’m, er, I’m sorry for smashing your...your thing?” Gaius chuckles as Merlin’s eyes flash golden and the potion that was spilt over the floor begins to float back into a newly fixed glass beaker. “And I’ll have you know, Father told me my training has been very successful so far,”</p>
<p>“Clearly.” Gaius muses. “Your mother sent me a letter about you coming here to fulfil your destiny?”</p>
<p>“Yes, well,” Merlin shrugs, trying to hide his annoyance. “You know Kilgharrah, sometimes I think he just makes up these prophecies to ruin my life, but he’s really out done himself with this one Gaius. And you know Father, he’ll do anything to please the damn dragon. I cannot believe Uther is lucky enough to think he is dead,” </p>
<p>“Well, your father is a Dragon lord, my boy,” Gaius laughs again as he potters around his room, pushing Merlin’s hands away from the glass beakers when he gets too close. “And what does Kilgharrah expect you to do?”</p>
<p>“Something about Arthur Pendragon and Albion and magic. I wasn’t really listening-are you alright, Gaius?” He asks as he notices Gaius has stopped moving and is now just staring at him. “Gaius?”</p>
<p>“Oh,” Gaius puts down the jar in his hand. “My boy, I’m afraid that Kilgharrah has not made this prophecy up,”</p>
<p>“What do you mean?”</p>
<p>“Come and sit with me, Sire,” Gaius says softly, pulling Merlin to sit down in front of the fire that was burning gently. “This is a prophecy that has been foretold for many centuries. It is the reason many of the people of Spero know you as Emrys. They knew as soon as you were born that it was you the prophets spoke of. I believed your father was going to wait until you were a bit older before letting you know, but it seems Killgharah had other plans,”</p>
<p>“So,” Merlin gulps, wiping the sweat off his hands onto his trousers. “So, you’re telling me that this is real? I am here because I must convince Arthur Pendragon to bring magic back? And to help him unite Albion? Arthur Pendragon? Whose father just executed a man because he maybe was going to use magic?” Gaius nods his head slowly. “Right. And how am I meant to do that?”</p>
<p>“I do not know, Sire,” the older man sighs. “I believe that the prophecy starts by saying you are to protect Arthur until he claims the crown. I suppose that is where you will have to start.”</p>
<p>“Of course, because a Prince cannot protect himself, can he? It would be unreasonable to suggest such a thing,” Merlin mutters, slouching down in the chair and resting his chin on his hand. “Mind if I go and explore a bit? Figure out a way I can protect this Arthur guy without going near him?”</p>
<p>Gaius nods, standing up as he says “Of course, My Lord,”</p>
<p>Merlin has made it to the door before he turns back to his uncle. “I think we better forgo the formalities, Gaius. Can’t really be strutting around Camelot as Prince of Spero, can I?”</p>
<p>“Of course not,” Gaius smiles. “Merlin, I need hardly tell you that the practice of any form of enchantment will get you killed!” He raises an eyebrow as Merlin smirks slightly. “I mean it, Merlin, Hunith would never let me forget it if you do something stupid on my watch,”</p>
<p>“Yes, Gaius,” The physician shakes his head fondly as his nephew slips out of the tower.</p><hr/>
<p>Merlin finds himself wondering around the citadel, making mental maps of the city, making note of every escape route in case he needed a quick getaway. He lifts his head as he hears a group of people laughing, followed by a dull ‘thump’.</p>
<p>His eyes scan the area, looking for the cause of the sound. They land on a group of boys gathered on a training field, laughing as the boy from the balcony throws knives at a target. As another knife hits the board and another thud is heard, a head popping up from behind the target. The boy that pops up couldn’t be older than Merlin, and quickly ducks his head again as another knife is aimed towards him. The group laugh as he squeals quietly. </p>
<p>Another knife hits the target, and the boy holding it stumbling to the floor. Merlin is close enough now to grab the boy’s elbow, preventing his face from hitting the ground. The boy smiled gratefully up at him.</p>
<p>“Come on, now, you’ve had your fun, my friend,” The group of men stop laughing, all turning to stare at Merlin. The leader steps forwards, his face twisting in confusion.</p>
<p>“Do I know you?”</p>
<p>“I’m Merlin,” Merlin states, holding his hand out towards the blond man.</p>
<p>“So, I don’t know you?” He clarifies. “Yet, you called me ‘friend’?” He continues after Merlin shakes his head.</p>
<p>“Oh, that was my mistake,” Merlin says, voice laced with false sympathy. “I could never have a friend who could be such an ass,” A small crowd surrounds the two boys and gasps quietly, parting as Merlin turns to walk away. </p>
<p>“Or I one who could be so stupid! Tell me, Merlin, do you know how to walk on your knees?” The younger boy turns back around. “Would you like me to help you?”</p>
<p>“Oh, I wouldn’t if I were you,” Merlin muses, looking very disinterested in the interaction. He watches as the annoyance becomes more prominent on the other’s face.</p>
<p>“Why? What are you going to do to me?”</p>
<p>“You have no idea,”</p>
<p>“Be my guest!” He laughs, and Merlin cocks an eyebrow slightly. “Come on,” He steps backwards marginally, turning his head a bit towards the crowd. Merlin takes the moment of distraction to draw his arm backwards and swing forwards again, his fist colliding with Arthur’s jaw. The blond staggers backwards, bringing a hand up to cup his cheek. He turns to look at Merlin, fire in his eyes. He raises his other hand and Merlin finds himself flanked by guards.</p>
<p>“Oh!” Merlin laughs softly, shaking his hair out of his eyes. “I get it. You’re Arthur Pendragon.”</p>
<p>“Who did you think I was?”</p>
<p>“Dunno. If I’m being honest, Arthur Pendragon, I’m still not totally sure if I’m seeing you or if I’m looking at a donkey,” Merlin smiles, flashing his teeth as Arthur’s face turns red, and laughs as the guards either side of him begin leading him to the dungeons. He can hear Arthur spluttering behind him, just making him laugh more. The guards either side of him throw Merlin unceremoniously onto the dungeon floor. He's yet to stop laughing.</p><hr/>
<p>It's late the next morning when the guards unlock the cell doors and Gaius is allowed to enter.</p>
<p>“You never cease to amaze me, Merlin!” Gaius groans as Merlin grins, obviously taking the critique as a compliment. “The one thing someone like you should be doing is keeping your head down, and what do you do? You behave like an idiot!” His nephew at least has to decency to try and pretend to look guilty. “You’re lucky. I’ve managed to pull a few strings to get you released.”</p>
<p>“Thank you,” Merlin mumbles, giving Gaius a smile that he hopes showed his gratitude and follows his uncle out of the cell and towards the physician tower. “Please don’t tell Father, Gaius,” When the older man raises an eyebrow he hurries to continue, “He wouldn’t hesitate to start a war if he knew that a Pendragon had thrown his son in the dungeons. My behaviour isn’t a good reason to expose Spero and risk the safety of our people, I was being irresponsible.”</p>
<p>“Very well.” It is silent for a few moments as they continue towards the tower.</p>
<p>“I see what the prophets mean about protecting him now, though.” Merlin giggles softly. “I mean, I just punched him in the face. He didn’t even duck away from it! No self-preservation at all,”</p><hr/>
<p>Merlin is making his way through the lower town when he notices a woman approaching him.</p>
<p>“Hi,” She says shyly, shifting her basket to rest of her hip.</p>
<p>“Good afternoon, My Lady,” He smiles as the woman shakes her head and giggles softly.</p>
<p>“I’m Guinevere, but most people call me Gwen. I’m the Lady Morgana’s maid,”</p>
<p>“Right, well, I’m Merlin, although most people just call me idiot,” Gwen giggles again, making her hair fall softly in her eyes as she shakes Merlin’s outstretched hand.</p>
<p>“No, no, I saw what you did yesterday. You’re so brave!”</p>
<p>“Well,” Merlin shrugs one shoulder as he blushes, looking embarrassed.</p>
<p>“I didn’t think you could beat him. You know, because you don’t look like one of those big, muscly kinds of fellows,”</p>
<p>“Thanks, Gwen,” Merlin laughs as she blushes, realising how she sounded.</p>
<p>“No! No, you’re obviously a lot stronger than you look. It’s just, Arthur’s one of these real rough tough save the world kind of men, and, well…” She trails off and looks away from Merlin.</p>
<p>“What?”</p>
<p>“You...you don’t really look like that,” Merlin smirks, quirking an eyebrow, as he beckons Gwen closer, and looks around as if making sure no-one is watching them before whispering to her.</p>
<p>“I’m in disguise,” Many of the townsfolk turn to look at them as Gwen laughs. She pushes his arm gently as they start walking through the town together.</p>
<p>“Well, it’s great that you stood up to him, anyway,”</p>
<p>“Yeah? You think so?”</p>
<p>“Yes! Arthur’s a bully, Merlin. And everyone thought you were a real hero, standing up to him,”</p>
<p>“Yeah?”</p>
<p>“Mmmh,” Gwen hums, pulling on Merlin’s sleeve slightly to pull him out of the way of a group of people walking past. Gwen and Merlin make it a few steps further before a voice calls out from the assembly that just passed them.</p>
<p>“How is your knee walking coming along, Merlin?” Merlin pauses in his movements, before turning to Gwen.</p>
<p>“If you’ll excuse me, Guinevere, I believe that there is a Prince just desperate for my attention,” he smiles as Gwen giggles and nods, placing a small hand on his elbow.</p>
<p>“Oh, come on, Merlin, don’t ignore me,” </p>
<p>“Me? Ignore you? Never.” Merlin rolls his eyes as he turns to look at Arthur. The man is surrounded by a couple of knights and a guard.</p>
<p>“Ah, thank God,” Arthur sighs. “I thought you were deaf as well as dumb,”</p>
<p>“Look I’ve told you you’re an ass, I just didn’t realise you were a royal one.”  Arthur clicks his tongue and shakes his head, turning slightly towards the guard standing at the side.  “Ooh, what are you going to do? Get your daddy’s men to protect you?”</p>
<p>“Ha! I could take you apart with one blow,”</p>
<p>“Mmh,” Merlin hums absently. “I could take you apart with less than that, Arthur Pendragon,”</p>
<p>“Are you sure?” Arthur raises an eyebrow as Merlin nods, sure of himself.</p>
<p>“Hey, Gwen, my dear, would you do me the honour of holding my jacket while I entertain Royalty,” Gwen stays silent as she takes Merlin’s jacket for him, sparing a glance at Arthur before lowering her eyes from away from the prince.</p>
<p>“Here you go, big man,” Merlin catches the mace that Arthur throws in his direction with one hand, twisting the handle a few times in his palm. “Come on then. I warn you, Merlin, I’ve been trained to kill since birth,”</p>
<p>“Wow, and how long have you been training to be a prat?” Arthur laughs like he can’t believe someone would talk to him in such a manner. Merlin suspects nobody ever has.</p>
<p>“You can’t address me like that,”</p>
<p>“I’m so sorry. How long have you been training to be a prat, My Lord,” Merlin bows and lowers his eyes in a way that should be polite, but he manages to make it seem disrespectful. He laughs as he jumps back from Arthur’s first swing.</p>
<p>Arthur’s frustration only seems to rise as Merlin continues to dodge his blows, waiting until the very last moment to step backwards. He laughs in between taunts, occasionally swinging his own mace towards Arthur, never with enough power behind it or swinging it around close enough to actually hit Arthur. He may be enjoying winding Arthur up, but he’s already punched the Prince in the face, he’s not stupid enough to injure him with a mace, no matter what Gaius may think.</p>
<p>As he dodges another of Arthur’s throws, he finds his arms being pulled behind his back. He looks up, finding himself being held by a guard at either side, rendering him unable to move. He sighs dramatically.</p>
<p>“This is cheating, Arthur Pendragon,” Arthur scoffs at the disappointed look on Merlin’s face and flicks his wrist after taking the mace from Merlin’s hands that are being held behind his back. The guards begin to walk Merlin away towards the dungeons, and the warlock immediately strikes up a conversation with them.</p>
<p>“Wait,” Arthur sighs, calling after them. “Let him go. He may be an idiot, but he’s a brave one.” The two guards let go of Merlin and move to the side of the street, watching as the Prince approaches the boy. “There’s something about you, Merlin,” Arthur regards him for a moment before murmuring softly. “I can’t quite put my finger on it.”</p><hr/>
<p>“I can’t believe that it’s my destiny to protect that prat, Gaius,” Merlin grumbles in between bites of the stew that his uncle has placed in front of him. “Kilgharrah is an ass. This is really good.” He points his spoon at the bowl before continuing eating.</p>
<p>“You need to be more careful, Merlin. You don’t want to be on the wrong side of Arthur, much less Uther. If he finds out that you’ve had two conflicts with his son in the day and a half you’ve been here, I fear what he will do. Even if you are just a child,”</p>
<p>“I’m 16, Gaius. I’m a knight. I’m barely a child.” Merlin argues, a scowl forming on his face. “Anyway, I’m not the one who chased someone through the town, throwing a mace around, am I?”</p>
<p>“Perhaps not,” the physician concedes, before raising an eyebrow. “However, I know you, Merlin, and there is a high probability that you were winding him up. Listen to me; Uther Pendragon will not care if it was Arthur who was chasing you, he will only see that someone is antagonising his son, and he will want to remove that distraction from Arthur’s life,”</p>
<p>“Fineee,” Merlin drags out. “I will stop telling Prince Arthur of Camelot when he is being an ass and will let him look stupid and bully innocent children,”</p>
<p>“Merlin!”</p>
<p>“I mean… I will stop annoying Arthur into jailing me and hunting me down with dangerous weapons.”</p>
<p>“Good.” Gaius nods. “If you get arrested again, I will have to tell your mother that you’re being irresponsible. I’m sure you don’t want her coming here and shouting at you. Now, finish your food. I need you to take a potion to Lady Morgana. Poor girl is suffering from nightmares.”</p><hr/>
<p>Merlin knocks on the doors to Morgana’s chamber, waiting a moment before he hears a soft ‘Come in,’ from inside.</p>
<p>“My Lady,” he bows when he enters the room, seeing Gwen and the Lady Morgana sat together at the table in the centre of the room. “Gaius has asked me to deliver this to you,”</p>
<p>“Thank you….?”</p>
<p>“Merlin, My Lady,” he smiles softly, handing over the potion.</p>
<p>“Merlin?” Morgana turns to Gwen, who nods her head at the question. “Oh. I do believe you’ve caused quite the commotion here in Camelot over the past few days,” Her tone is light, teasing Merlin as she and Gwen laugh lightly.</p>
<p>“What can I say, My Lady? It’s just part of my charm,” He flashes her a smile, ignoring the way his cheeks begin to warm.</p>
<p>“I don’t see what Arthur is saying, Gwen,” Morgana muses. “He was in here before complaining about a young boy who was being rude and insolent, but he can’t possibly have been talking about you; you’re so polite. And adorable.” She coos as she pinches his rapidly colouring cheeks. “Prince Arthur of Camelot getting flustered by an adorable little baby,”</p>
<p>“Don’t pout, Merlin,” Gwen and Morgana laugh as Merlin grumbles, lowering his eyes to the floor. “You’re just so cute-” The doors to Morgana’s chambers crash open, cutting Gwen off.</p>
<p>“Morgana!” Arthur barges into the room, slamming the door behind him in anger. “You won’t believe what that useless servant has done no- what are you doing here?!”</p>
<p>“Oh, Arthur, we were just getting to know your new friend here,” Morgana smiles towards Merlin.</p>
<p>“Good evening, Sire,” He bows his head respectfully towards Arthur, before clasping his hands behind his back and adverting his eyes. He can feel Arthur’s eyes watching him, confused by his behaviour.</p>
<p>“Are you sure you were talking about Merlin before Arthur? Because if you were, I’m a little bit confused, because he’s been nothing but polite since he came in here,” </p>
<p>“Yes, I’m sure.” Arthur rolls his eyes as he sat down next to Morgana at the table. “What are you doing here, Merlin?” He asks again.</p>
<p>“I was delivering medicine to Lady Morgana, Sire,” Merlin can feel Arthur getting more annoyed as he continues to be polite.</p>
<p>“No, Merlin, I mean, what are you doing here? In Camelot? I have never seen you before and yet I’ve run into you three times in the last two days,”</p>
<p>“My uncle is teaching me to be a physician, Sire,” Merlin says, referring to the cover story his mother had come up with for him living with Gaius.</p>
<p>“Gaius is your uncle?” Morgana perks up, looking at Merlin curiously.</p>
<p>“Yes, My Lady,” Merlin inclines his head. “My mother is his sister,”</p>
<p>“Oh, I never knew Gaius has a sister,”</p>
<p>“Yes, it’s all very interesting,” Arthur murmurs sarcastically. “Now, get out, Merlin, I have something I want to talk to my sister about,”</p>
<p>“Oh, of course, My Lord,” Merlin bows deeply, the sarcasm in his voice becoming more obvious. “I’m terribly sorry for interrupting, My Lord, I’ll just leave you to it, My Lord,” Arthur’s head shoots up as Merlin speaks, and he begins spluttering and pointing a finger at the younger boy.</p>
<p>“See! See what I mean!”</p>
<p>“Oh, I’m so sorry, My Lord,” Gwen starts to giggle as Merlin bows again defiantly and a small smirk grows on his face. “I didn’t mean to offend a member of the Royal family, My Lord,”</p>
<p>“You know what, Merlin? I’m getting quite sick of you,” Merlin’s smirk grows as Arthur continues to look more and more annoyed. “I do hope that the dungeons are comfortable enough for you, for another night. Guards!” Merlin’s smirk transforms into a genuine smile when he sees which of the guards came through the doors.</p>
<p>“Anthony!” The guard looks up as he hears his name, face brightening as his gaze lands on Merlin. “How’s your daughter? Is she doing any better today?” Merlin holds his hands out for Anthony to attach cuffs to, nodding as the guard spoke.</p>
<p>“She’s doing a little better, thank you. Whatever was in that medicine you gave her has worked wonders, Merlin,”</p>
<p>“What?” Arthur’s head snaps up, his eyes falling on Merlin, confused. “What did you give her? What was in it?”</p>
<p>“Oh, I’m terribly sorry, My Lord, but that is information that I cannot disclose,” Merlin shakes his head, feinting disappointment. “Anyway, I’m afraid I must be off, some prat has just sent me to the dungeons. It’s a shame, you’re excellent company, Lady Morgana, Gwen. I will see you around, Arthur Pendragon.” Arthur continues staring at the door long after Anthony has guided Merlin out. </p>
<p>“Morgana, I hate him,” The two women exchange a look behind Arthur’s head.</p>
<p>“Come now, Arthur,” She puts a hand on his elbow softly, offering comfort. “He’s just a child. And he’s working with Gaius, you probably won’t see him that much when he’s settled in,”</p>
<p>“Right. Right. You’re correct, of course,” he mumbles, still staring at the door.</p><hr/>
<p>“I didn’t do anything, Gaius, don’t look at me like that,” His uncle doesn't say anything as Merlin leaves the cell, merely lifting an eyebrow. “I didn’t! I was just being polite and then he arrested me! You can ask Gwen if you don’t believe me. Or Lady Morgana, they both watched him do it!”</p>
<p>“We don’t really have time to go into it, Merlin, you have a feast to serve at,” Merlin sighs in relief as Gaius changes the topic. “Don’t look so happy, Merlin. We’ll be talking about this later, don’t think I’m going to keep getting you out of these dungeons,”</p><hr/>
<p>Merlin stands to the side of the room with Gaius, watching as nobles file into the room. The room is set up with three tables, two running parallel with each other, and the third across the top of them. The single table is clearly set for the King, with a larger throne in the centre and a smaller one either side for each of his children. The room is lit by candles, hanging from the ceiling, on stands in the corners of the room, in the centre of the tables. From the ceiling also hangs flags of a deep red colour, embroidered with roaring lions.</p>
<p>Merlin smirks as Arthur walks into the room, takes one look towards the younger boy, and rolls his eyes, before moving towards the opposite side of the room. Morgana enters a few moments after her brother, moving elegantly, her red dress trailing after her. She, unlike her brother, moves towards Merlin when she meets his eyes. He bows respectfully as she approaches him, seeing Arthur glaring at him out of the corner of his eyes.</p>
<p>“My Lady,”</p>
<p>“Please, Merlin,” She smiles, “Call me Morgana. I’d like to consider you my friend now that I know we have a common goal in life,”</p>
<p>“A common goal?” He asks her, raising an eyebrow slightly.</p>
<p>“Annoying Arthur, of course,” Merlin laughs as Morgana turns her head towards her brother, her smile widening as she notices him watching their interaction.</p>
<p>“Well, in that case, Morgana, I would be honoured to be considered a friend.” His eyes flicker across the room to where Arthur is glaring at them, ignoring the knights who are trying to talk to him. “Now that I am aware of our shared aspiration, I wonder, if I may, do something that may entertain you?” Morgana nods subtly, raising an eyebrow as Merlin takes her hand in his own, bringing it towards his face. The moment his lips make contact with the soft skin of her hand, Merlin is shoved roughly away from Morgana.</p>
<p>“I don’t know what the bloody hell you’re playing at,” An angry voice hisses in his ear. “But knock it off! Right. Now.”</p>
<p>“I am afraid I do not know what you are talking about, My Lord,” Merlin tries to keep his face straight as he sees Morgana try and contain her laughter. “I was just talking to my good friend, Morgana,”</p>
<p>“Good...good friend?” Arthur’s voice drops dangerously. People close enough to hear the interaction freeze and start to move away from them slowly. “How dare yo-” </p>
<p>Arthur is cut off by trumpets sounding and the King walking into the room. The whole room is now silent, watching as Uther walks slowly towards the top table, smirking as he sees everybody bowing at him as he passes. Morgana has to physically pull Arthur away, winking at Merlin as she pushes her brother towards their seats at the head table.</p>
<p>“We have enjoyed 20 years of peace and prosperity!” Uther’s voice is loud, booming around the room, capturing the attention of every person. “It has brought the kingdom and myself many pleasures. But,” He pauses, looking towards the woman who has just walked into the room. “Few can compare with the honour of introducing Lady Helen of Mora!” Everyone in the room claps as Lady Helen steps up onto the stage, quieting and sitting down once the soft music begins to play. </p>
<p>As she begins singing, Merlin stands up straighter, recognising the words. He looks around the room, checking to see if anyone else seems to notice the words of the Old Religion. A quick glance at each person suggests that no-one does, but there is a prickle in the back of his neck telling him that something is wrong. It only takes him a moment longer to realise what is happening.</p>
<p>“Gaius!” He whispers urgently to his uncle, who must have realised that Merlin was worrying as he turns to him immediately. “Gaius! She’s singing an enchantment!” Merlin closes his eyes as he feels them turn golden, the air around him and his uncle shimmering as he puts up a protective barrier against enchantments. </p>
<p>“What do you think she’s trying to do, Merlin?” Gaius asks, concern lacing his voice. Merlin glances around the room again, pausing as he notices the tired look on Morgana’s face. Looking around, he notices that everyone is beginning to look tired, some resting their heads on their arms, others fluttering their eyes.</p>
<p>“They’re...falling asleep?” Merlin whispers, confused. “Why would she want an entire room of people asleep?” Gaius doesn’t respond to Merlin, watching instead as people who are falling asleep are being buried in frost and cobwebs, as if they had been sleeping for centuries. Lady Helen keeps singing as she steps off her podium, and Merlin notices her eyes lock on Arthur. He gasps as she pulls something out from her sleeve.</p>
<p>“Merlin! She’s got a dagger!” Merlin nods numbly, as he watches her eyes focus only on Arthur as her singing begins to crescendo. All the candles extinguish themselves as she steps into throwing distance of the top table, and Merlin makes up his mind.</p>
<p>He looks up at the ceiling, eyes flashing gold as he whispers an enchantment that loosens the chains holding up the candle chandelier. Moments later, the chandelier falls, falling on top of Lady Helen, ending the enchantment she was holding.</p>
<p>People in the room begin waking up, pulling the cobwebs off their bodies as they look around, confused. Uther stands up as he pulls the cobwebs of his head, and freezes as his eyes land on Lady Helen, trapped under the chandelier.</p>
<p>Or. Not Lady Helen. </p>
<p>Underneath the chandelier, there is an elderly woman, wearing the dress Lady Helen had been wearing. Uther gasps as he recognises Mary Collins, catching Arthur’s attention. As Arthur rises from his seat, Mary begins to rise from the floor, pushing herself up on her arms. Her eyes lock on Arthur again, and she raises her hand, dagger still there, and throws it towards Arthur.</p>
<p>Without thinking, Merlin runs towards Arthur, pushing him out of the way of the dagger, just as it lands in the back of Arthur’s chair, right where his heart would have been. Mary Collins falls to the floor in her last breath. As Merlin stands up, Arthur turns to him, and Uther walks towards them.</p>
<p>“You saved my boy’s life,” Uther breathes out, a hand landing on Arthur’s shoulder, as if to prove to himself that he is indeed still alive. “A debt must be repaid,”</p>
<p>“Oh,” Merlin shakes his head immediately. “No, there’s no need, My Lord, I didn’t do anything,”</p>
<p>“Don’t be so modest, you shall be rewarded!” By now, everyone in the room is watching the interaction. Merlin, although a royal himself, feels himself grow uncomfortable at the sudden attention.</p>
<p>“Really, Your Highness, I did nothing-” </p>
<p>“Nonsense, boy, this merits something quite special. You shall be awarded a position is the Royal household; you shall be Prince Arthur’s manservant!” Uther begins walking away as soon as the words have left his mouth, missing the way Morgana begins laughing. Next to Merlin, Arthur begins spluttering, talking a step towards where his father is leaving.</p>
<p>“Father!” Uther doesn't turn towards his son but walks out of the room. Morgana’s laughter is drowned out by everyone in the room clapping. Arthur glances at Merlin, rolling his eyes before calling out for his father again, following where he left.</p><hr/>
<p>“Seems you’re a hero,” Gaius muses as he and Merlin return to the physician quarters. Merlin snorts softly as he sits down.</p>
<p>“Yeah, hard to believe isn’t it?”</p>
<p>“No,” Gaius shakes his head as he takes a seat next to his nephew. “I knew it from the moment you were born, Merlin. You are destined for greatness, my boy,”</p>
<p>“Destiny. What a load of rubbish,” Merlin sighs, sinking down into the chair. “I thought this would be easy, Gaius. I’ve been here less than three days, and someone’s already tried to kill him. I would do anything for Kilgharrah to have made this up.”</p>
<p>“It will get easier, Merlin, as you spend more time with him,” A hand settles on his shoulder in comfort. “And I know you, I’m sure you’ll find a way to make it more entertaining,” Merlin laughs as he opens his mouth to reply but is cut off by a knock on the door.</p>
<p>“Merlin!” A voice calls out. “Prince Arthur wants you right away!” Gaius squeezes his shoulder as Merlin rolls his eyes. The physician stands up, ushering Merlin towards the door.</p>
<p>“Your destiny is calling, Merlin, you better find out what he wants.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. chapter two</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>There is a look of exasperation on Arthur’s face as he stands over his manservant, sword still in his hand while Merlin’s is on the ground, inches out of the younger boy’s reach. Merlin grunts, bringing his arm up to protect his face, as if he thinks Arthur is going to continue his training. The older Prince rolls his eyes.</p><p>“Well,” He huffs, throwing his sword to the side and beginning to remove his leather gloves. “I suppose you’re improving. Slowly.” Merlin grins up at Arthur, holding his thumb up sarcastically, other arm having moved from covering his face to resting behind his head, causing the older to roll his eyes again. “Don’t look so relaxed, Merlin. You’ve still got to tidy this up. Then you can come and polish my armour. And when you’ve done that, you can muck out the horses,” When Arthur has turned around and began walking away without waiting for a reply, the younger boy rolls his own eyes as he stands up. He has just made it to his feet and picked up his sword when a voice from behind makes him jump.</p><p>“I disagree, you know. He reckons you’re improving, but I’d say your fighting has actually gotten worse. So much worse.” Merlin spins around, sword still in hand. When he sees who is behind him, he quickly drops it and throws his arms around the other person.</p><p>“Lancelot!” He lets out a high squeal before he coughs, ignoring the knight’s snort. “I missed you!”</p><p>“Very regal.” He does little to hide the amusement lacing his voice. “I missed you, too, My Lord,”</p><p>“What are you doing here?”</p><p>“Well,” Lancelot sighs. “You’ve been here for a month and no-one has heard from you. Your mother and father wanted someone to come and check you hadn’t got yourself arrested. Or killed.” Merlin must make a face because Lancelot groans. “You’ve been arrested?”</p><p>“Not that I’m not happy to see you, Lance, but honestly I would have thought my father would send one of his own men instead of one of my knights. Technically, if I had been arrested, which I definitely have not, I could just tell you to lie to him. You know, because technically you answer to me, not him.” Lancelot rolls his eyes at Merlin’s deflection.</p><p>“I won’t lie to my King, Sire,” Merlin opens his mouth to respond, but Lancelot quickly continues. “Anyway, it was your mother who sent me. She thought one of your own knights would make you feel less like you were being checked up on. Balinor wanted to send Gwaine, thought he would be the most likely of us to tell him the truth. Or make something up. You know how much he loves getting you in trouble,”</p><p>“Yeah,” Merlin rolls his eyes. “I still remember the time with the trees and the bear.”</p><p>“Yeah. You didn’t talk to him for a week after,”</p><p>“Why isn’t Gwaine here, then?” Lancelot hesitates slightly before answering.</p><p>“Gwaine has not been doing that great since you left. Your mother didn’t want drunk Gwaine to be the first of Spero you see after a month,”</p><p>“Have you tried asking for him to be barred from the taverns again?” Merlin asks, picking up Arthur’s discarded equipment off the floor.</p><p>“We tried. Percy even started dragging him away from them, but now he’s just started leaving Spero and going to other lands. We can never find him, he disappears for days,”</p><p>“Days?” Merlin sighs. “When you get back, I want you to send him here. The minute you see him, you send him here. And if he doesn’t want to come, you drag him here, you understand? I won’t have the idiot fuck his life up because I’m not around to babysit him.”</p><p>“Understood, My Lord,”</p><p>“How long are you staying for, by the way?” Lancelot shrugs as Merlin and he start walking, the rest of Arthur’s equipment having been put away.</p><p>“Few days, a week? I’m not sure,” Merlin hums in response. “So, I assume that your fighting hasn’t totally gone to shit in the month that you’ve been gone, so why is Arthur Pendragon thinking that you’re improving?” Merlin snorts as they arrive at the physician’s quarters.</p><p>“It’s funny watching how annoyed he gets when I pretend to forget something or be terrible at something. Fourth day here, I was getting him ready for a tournament,”</p><p>“Right. And you managed to annoy him?” Lancelot looks as if he already knew the answer but is still dreading what Merlin is going to say.</p><p>“I took hours getting him ready, he was nearly late. And I forgot to give him is sword.” Merlin shales his head fondly at the memory. “He looked ready to run me through,”</p><p>“I think he would have if you hadn’t run away, my boy,” Merlin rolls his eyes fondly as Gaius comes into the room.</p><p>“You remember my uncle, Lance?”</p><p>“Of course,” Lancelot nods, smiling at Gaius. “It’s lovely to see you again, Gaius,”</p><p>“And you, Sir Lancelot. I do hope you’ll be here long enough that Merlin can get some of that energy out of him. You know how he gets restless when he’s bored and lonely,”</p><p>“Hey!” Merlin pouts. “I’m not lonely! I’m with you!”</p><p>“As touching as that is, Merlin, being around an old man is not the same as spending time with someone closer to your own age,”</p><p>“What he means, My Lord, is that sometimes you need someone to tire you out,” Lancelot snorts at Merlin’s raises eyebrows. “Not like that! If you’re wanting that, you’ll have to wait until Gwaine is here. And sober, for that matter,”</p><p>“You’re no fun, Lancelot,” Lancelot rolls his eyes, shoving Merlin away gently.</p><p>“So, Gaius,” Lancelot sits down, ignoring the young Prince, “Merlin has been telling me that he hasn’t been in trouble while he’s been here. And, all due respect, Sire, but I don’t really believe you. You tend to downplay things. Especially if you’ve been in danger or trouble.”</p><p>“Well,” Gaius coughs as he sneaks a look at his nephew. “he-”</p><p>“Lancelot is reporting to Mother, Gaius,”</p><p>“-hasn’t been in the dungeons once,” Merlin perks up as he notices Gaius’s carefully worded response. When Lancelot turns towards him, noticing the sudden movement, he smiles innocently.</p><p>“I’m meant to believe that you’ve been here for a whole month, managed to convince everyone that you’re a servant, and annoyed the Prince to the point where he looked like he wanted to stab you, but you haven’t been arrested?” Merlin grins, nodding his head. “Bullshit.” Merlin gasps.</p><p>“I do hope you’re not only accusing me, but also Gaius, of lying to you, Lancelot?”</p><p>“Uh huh,” Lance is undeterred by Merlin’s glare.</p><p>“I’m serious, Sir Lancelot. Accusing your Prince and his uncle of lying when they have been nothing but honest. Offending the royal family isn’t very noble, is it? Whatever would Father say?” When Lancelot snorts and folds his arms, Merlin lets his unimpressed royal façade fall and laughs. “But really, Gaius was telling the truth. I haven’t been in the dungeons once,”</p><p>“Okay, Merlin,”</p><p>“I’m telling the truth!”</p><p>“Okay, Merlin,” Merlin huffs, pushing Lancelot away softly as he begins to stand up.</p><p>“Stay there. I’m going to go and get Arthur’s armour; I’ll be back in a minute. You want tea?” Merlin doesn't wait for an answer before the water is steaming and pouring itself into a cup that has leaves lining the bottom.</p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Merlin, true to his word, is back in the room with Lancelot less than 10 minutes later, the armour polishing itself in the corner. Merlin and Lancelot are sat by the fire, discussing both of their lives over the past month.</p><p>“MERLIN!” Arthur’s voice interrupts Lancelot from down the corridor.</p><p>“What have you done, Merlin?” Gaius calls across the room, glancing up from where he is grinding herbs at his workbench.</p><p>“I didn’t do anything!” He protests as he scrambles across the room.</p><p>“MERLIN!!” When Arthur bursts through the door, Merlin is sat on the floor, polishing the armour. “Where is that useless-”</p><p>“Yes, Sire?” Merlin looks up innocently from where Arthur hasn't seen him. When Lancelot’s brain catches up with who he is seeing, he rushes to his feet before bowing slightly.</p><p>“Who’s this?” Arthur asks, looking at Merlin as the younger boy struggles to keep himself from laughing.</p><p>“This is Lancelot. He’s come here to...tire me out,” This time, Merlin can't keep himself from laughing out loud as Lancelot starts spluttering, face turning red.</p><p>“Stop being such a child, Merlin,” Arthur sighed rolling his eyes. “Do you need to spend another night in the dungeons to calm you down?”</p><p>“No, thank you, Arthur,” He grins up at the other Prince as he stands up. Lancelot groans from where he has managed to compose himself.</p><p>“Hang on, you said…you!” He points at Gaius on the other side of the room. “You said he hadn’t been arrested!”</p><p>“Actually, Lance, what we said was ‘I haven’t been in the dungeons once’, which definitely wasn’t a lie,”</p><p>“’Haven’t been in the dungeons once’,” Lancelot sighs, rubbing a hand over his face. “Just how many nights have you spent in Camelot’s dungeons, Merlin?” Arthur laughs as Merlin shrugs.</p><p>“Seven,” Arthur supplies, ignoring Merlin trying to suggest he has only spent the one night in there. “Wait, no, it’s eight, now, isn’t it?”</p><p>“Eight,” Lancelot sighs as he falls backwards into the chair again. “Eight nights. You’re a pain in my ass, Merlin,” Merlin just smiles up at him innocently. Arthur snickers softly from the door.</p><p>“Is there a reason for your visit, Arthur, or did you just miss my riveting conversation?”</p><p>“I’m training my new knights again later. You need to come with me,”</p><p>“Ah,” Merlin nods. “Are they still all terrible?” Arthur grunts, looking unimpressed. “You should train Lancelot. He’s very good,”</p><p>“What?” Lancelot’s head shoots up at the mention of his name. “I-”</p><p>“Excellent! I will see you later, Lancelot. Make sure you bring your seal of nobility!” With that, Arthur spins around and leaves the room, leaving Lancelot to glare at Merlin.</p><p>“Eight nights!” If it were possible, Merlin is almost certain that there would be smoke coming out of his friend’s ears. “EIGHT!”</p><p>“I forbid you to tell Father. You are to tell him and Mother that I am find and nothing is wrong. That is an order from your Prince.”</p><p>“Now is not the time to pull rank, Merlin,” Lancelot rolls his eyes. “You are so lucky I like you. Otherwise I would be on my way to Spero right now.”</p><p>“You’re my favourite, Lance!” Merlin stands up wrapping his arms around Lancelot's neck and peppering his friend’s cheek with kisses. “I love you so much! You’re my best friend-”</p><p>“Alright, don’t push it.” He sighs, pushing a laughing Merlin away from him. “And I don’t know whether it has escaped your notice, but I don’t have a seal of nobility. You know, not being a noble. Why am I training as a knight anyway, Merlin? You better have a plan,”</p><p>“Of course, I have a plan.” He scoffs at the idea of not thinking this through. “Chances are, if Uther ever finds out who I am, he will start a war. Or he will kill me, and then my father will start a war. Anyway, if Uther finds out, there will be war. So, you, Lancelot, are going to train as one of Arthur’s knights, and then train our knights to be able to defend against Arthur’s style.”</p><p>“Wouldn’t you be best to train your knights in a new style, My Lord?”</p><p>“I would love to. However, I’m still here, and I’m not quite that good that I can train an army of knights from a different land. Thank you for being so faithful in me, though, it does wonders for my ego,”</p><p>“And the seal?”</p><p>“We fake it. Gwen can help us. Come on. Bring a tunic!”</p>
<hr/><p>Merlin navigates them through the streets of the lower town, stopping to chat to people and introduce Lancelot. When they have eventually made their way to the small house that Gwen and her father live in, Merlin knocks on the door. It cracks open slightly, and a head pokes through.</p><p>“Merlin!” Gwen grins when her eyes landed on her friend.</p><p>“Good afternoon, Gwen,” Merlin smiles before kissing her hand gently. “I need to ask you a favour. A big one,”</p><p>“Yes?”</p><p>“I’m not sure how to ask it…” Gwen’s smile softens as she opens the door further.</p><p>“Ask, Merlin. You know I’d grant you anything.” She blushes a deep red as she stutters. “I mean, not…not anything. Obviously not anything.” She coughs slightly, shaking her head. “What is it that you want?”</p><p>“You would flirt with a bloody broomstick, Merlin, honestly,” Lancelot murmurs beside Merlin. Gwen’s eyes drift across to him, not having noticed him before now.</p><p>“This is my friend Lancelot. Lance, this is Gwen,” Lancelot smiles as he takes Gwen’s hand, before she lets them into her house. “Arthur is going to be training Lancelot as one of his knights, but I told Arthur that Lance was a noble,”</p><p>“And you’re not a noble?”</p><p>“No, unfortunately not,” Lancelot shakes his head, and Gwen turns back to Merlin, raising an eyebrow at him.</p><p>“Don’t look at me like that, Guinevere, it’s a stupid rule. Got to be a noble to be a knight, how is that possibly fair?” Merlin scoffs. “Anyway, I got him a seal, and I just wondered if you would be able to sew this onto a tunic for him?” Merlin hands over a piece of fabric, lips pouted softly and a hopeful glint in his eyes. Gwen takes the fabric from his hands, delicate fingers running over the pattern.</p><p>“Where did you get this, Merlin?”</p><p>“I can’t tell you that, Gwen. It’s a secret,” Gwen giggles as Merlin grins. “Please, Gwen? You’re the best seamstress in all of Camelot!”</p><p>“I’m not even a seamstress, Merlin,”</p><p>“Oh. That’s true.” Merlin looks down with fake disappointment. “You must just be the best person in Camelot,”</p><p>“You’re a charmer, Merlin,” She looks down as her cheeks flush again.</p><p>“Well, you’re the charm, My Lady,”</p><p>“Of course, I’ll do it. You can stop with the flattery now,” She hits his shoulder gently with the fabric in her hand. “Do you have a tunic?” She asks Lancelot, who smiles and hands the tunic over to Gwen. Gwen places it and the circular coat of arms on the table Merlin has perched himself upon. “So, Lancelot, were you raised in the same barn that Merlin apparently was?” She asks, giving Merlin a pointed glance.</p><p>“Excuse you, Guinevere, Ealdor is not a<em> barn</em>.” Merlin huffs as Lancelot chuckles.</p><p>“She’s calling you out for sitting on her table, Merlin, she doesn’t actually think you were raised in a barn,” He shakes his head at the younger boy, who just rolls his eyes as he swings his legs. “But yes, Gwen, I’m also from, uh, Ealdor,” Gwen hums and nods, before excusing herself to find a needle and thread. Lancelot turns to Merlin. “Ealdor?”</p><p>“Hmm,” The young prince nods. “Easier when people keep asking where you’re from. Plus, my mother was raised there. Technically everyone thinks it’s in Cenred’s kingdom, but Spero is the only kingdom with a claim on it. But, of course, nobody knows we exist,”</p><p>“So, people think they are just, what? Without a King?”</p><p>“People think they have their own King. Well,” Merlin shrugs, “They do now that I’ve said they do. I’ve got better at lying,” He says proudly.</p><p>“They just don’t know your tells yet,” Lancelot laughs at the face Merlin pulls.</p><p>“I don’t have<em> tells</em>,” he scoffs indignantly.</p><p>“Oh, of course not, Sire,” Merlin is about to retort when Gwen walks back into the room, needle in hand.</p>
<hr/><p>That afternoon, Merlin and Lancelot walk together to the training ground, the older of the two dressed in a tunic with a coat of arms on and light chainmail. When they arrive, Arthur is talking to Leon while a group of knights-in-training are scattered around the training field. Merlin turns towards his friend before they reach Arthur.</p><p>“This is your seal.” He states, pushing a roll of parchment into Lancelot’s hand. “Well, technically it’s Gwaine’s, but you know how he feels about nobility. So, if Arthur asks any questions about your family, pretend you’re Gwaine. You look ravishing in orange, by the way, Lance,” The younger boy flashes a flirtatious smile, which Lance rolls his eyes at. Lancelot quirks an eyebrow slightly when he notices Arthur’s eyes light up slightly when he sees Merlin, but he doesn't say anything.</p><p>“Lancelot,” Arthur claps his arm as he approaches. “This is Sir Leon, First Knight of Camelot. Leon, this is Lancelot. He’ll be training with us today,” The two knights nod their heads at each other. “Go and get my sword, would you, Merlin,”</p><p>“Yeah, sure, Arthur,” As Merlin turns around, he trips slightly over his own feet, and would have fallen on his face if Lancelot hadn't caught his elbow. “Thank you, Lancelot,” Merlin smiles at his friend before turning and walking towards the swords at the side of the field.</p><p>“Are you going to keep letting him talk to you like that, Sire?” Leon asks, watching as Merlin stumbles again across the field, one of the knights-in-training trying to catch him, but missing his arm.</p><p>“Well,” Arthur coughs, tearing his eyes from where he, too, had been watching Merlin. Lancelot would argue Arthur was staring after Merlin, face fond, but he isn’t stupid enough to let anyone know this. “He’s getting better. He’s calling me ‘Arthur’ at least seventy-five percent of the time now. And you can’t blame him, Leon, really. He didn’t grow up near royalty or nobility, but he’s learning,” Lancelot tries to conceal a smile at the fond look on Arthur’s face, but he mustn’t do it successfully, because the second Arthur’s glaze flickers to him, the Prince coughs. “You have excellent reflexes, Lancelot, catching Merlin like that. Many of our knights struggle to catch him, but God knows they get enough practice. Do you have your seal with you?”</p><p>“Thank you, Sire,” Lancelot smiles at the compliment, before handing over the rolled-up parchment he was holding.</p><p>“Lancelot, First son of Lord Galeron of Carleon. Not interested in being a Knight of Carleon?”</p><p>“No, Sire,” Lancelot states, relaxing slightly now that Merlin had returns to his side. “My father was killed when I was young, and Carleon turned my mother away when she went to him for assistance. Carleon lost my loyalty that day,” Arthur claps a hand on Lancelot’s shoulder when he finishes.</p><p>“I’m sorry he treated your family like that, Lancelot,” Leon offers Lancelot a small smile.</p><p>“Carleon’s loss is Camelot’s gain, it seems,” Arthur smile, taking the sword from Merlin’s hands. “Assuming your fighting is any good, of course. I can’t really just take Merlin’s word for it.” He swings the sword around in his hand. “You have one minute,”</p><p>Lancelot barely has enough time to draw his own sword before he has to deflect Arthur’s swing. The pair are evenly matched in their fighting, sparring and deflecting each other’s attacks until Arthur manages to knock Lancelot down. He is panting, lying on his back, sword fallen from his grip.</p><p>“How long, Merlin?”</p><p>“47 seconds,” Merlin smiles lightly as Lancelot cracks one of his eyes open a small amount.</p><p>“That’s a shame,” Arthur sighs as he reaches down to untie the flag attached to Lancelot’s belt. Just as his fingers begin to untie the knot, Lancelot’s leg comes out and trips Arthur, and he rolls over to pick up his sword. Merlin beams proudly as Lancelot holds the sword to Arthur’s neck. The smile soon disappears as Leon pulls Lancelot away from the Prince, guards taking and holding his arms behind his back, waiting for orders. Arthur stands up, dusting some of the mud off his tunic.</p><p>“Excellent move, Lancelot,” He nods as he waves the guards away, coming up to Lancelot and clasping his hand on his shoulder. Merlin’s grin returns, brighter.</p><p>“You’re knighting him, right Arthur? Right?” Merlin bounces on the balls of his feet at Arthur’s side, ignoring the older Prince’s attempts to push him away. “You’ve got to knight him, Arthur. If you don’t, I’ll quit. I’ll walk right now. He’s the best you’ve trained all week, Arthur, you’ve got to kn-”</p><p>“Shut up, <em>Mer</em>lin,” Arthur grumbles. “Leon, start with some drills, please. Merlin, stay here. Lancelot and I are going to have a chat,”</p><p> </p><p>Arthur and Lancelot walk slowly around the edge of the training field as they speak. “So, you’re friends with Merlin, right? You’ve been living in Ealdor?” Lancelot nods at Arthur’s questions before he elaborates.</p><p>“My mother remarried about a year and a half after my father died. I didn’t get along with him. I left after a few months,” Lance tries his best to look sad as he lies.</p><p>“You said you were young when your father died?”</p><p>“Eleven. I was about to turn thirteen when I left Carleon,”</p><p>“And you went straight to Ealdor?” He cocks his head to the side when Lancelot shakes his.</p><p>“No. I travelled around for a bit, exchanging work for a place to stay. Eventually I ended up in Sp-, in Ealdor. Merlin found me wondering around the forest, and his family took me in. Been there ever since,”</p><p>“Merlin found you?” The Prince sounds disbelieving, turning his head to where Merlin is struggling to contain his laughter as the knights struggle with Leon’s drills. “Merlin can’t find his own backside most of the time,”</p><p>“Yes. He was only nine at the time. He snuck up on me in the middle of the forest and I nearly attacked him. This tiny kid just jumped out of a tree and landed in front of me, took me to his home, and introduced me to his parents,” He chuckles as Arthur hums.</p><p>“He tells me that Ealdor has its own King. Would you not want to serve them, if not Carleon?”</p><p>“I do serve them, Sire,” Arthur’s footsteps falter slightly as he looks at Lancelot.</p><p>“Well, I can’t imagine he’d be very happy about you becoming a knight of Camelot?”</p><p>“Oh,” Lance pauses for a moment, glancing towards Merlin sitting on the edge of the training field. “I have express permission to become one of your knights. If you’ll have me, that is,”</p><p>“What?” Arthur stops walking completely and looks at Lancelot, confusion clear on his face. “Your king is happy for you to be a knight for another kingdom? I don’t understand.”</p><p>“Well, technically I serve the Prince. The king has his knights, and then his son has his. My Prince is loyal to you, sire,”</p><p>“Oh, right,” He nods as he starts to walk again, before shaking his head. “No, I still don’t get it. He’s loyal to me?”</p><p>“Yes. Prince Emrys is loyal to you. And, therefore, the King and Queen are loyal to you, too,”</p><p>“If you’re all loyal to Camelot why are you a different kingdom? Why don’t we join together? Have a treaty?”</p><p>“You misunderstand, Sire. They -we- are loyal to <em>you</em>.”</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“We’re not loyal to Camelot. We’re not even loyal to Uther. We’re loyal to Arthur Pendragon, and the world that you will bring about,”</p><p>“Oh. Right,” Arthur stops walking again, leaning against a fence instead. “So, you’re willing to be a knight of Camelot, but you won’t be loyal to her?”</p><p>“I would be loyal to you, Sire,” Arthur nods. “If being loyal to you means being loyal to Camelot, then I will be,”</p><p>“So, you’re going to split your time between here and your home?” Lancelot shrugs, kicking his feet in the dirt. “You will. If that’s what you want. If your prince really is loyal to me, and is happy for you to serve me, I cannot, in good conscience, take someone that noble from him. If he is happy, and you are happy, you can be a knight here, and return home whenever you need to,”</p><p>“Whenever I need to?”</p><p>“Well, I assume Prince Emrys, was it? Prince Emrys will still want to train you occasionally. And he’d probably like an update on how you’re doing,”</p><p>“Thank you, Sire,” Arthur nods.</p>
<hr/><p>Later that evening, Lancelot drags a stumbling Merlin through the corridors towards the physicians quarters.</p><p>“Careful, there,” He laughs quietly as Merlin’s foot gets caught behind him, his laughter causing the younger boy to begin giggling.</p><p>“Lance…Lancelots,” He breathes out in between giggles. “I’m so…I’m so proud of you, becoming an, an knights!”</p><p>“I have been a knight for you for years, Merlin, being a knight isn’t new to me,”</p><p>“But now…now you get to be a knight. There’s not a lot of… lot of fighting at home.” Merlin laughs loudly as he bangs his shoulder on the wall. “Now you get to fight. I’m proud of you for it,”</p><p>“Thank you, Sire,” Lancelot lets out a breath of relief as Gaius opens the door to his rooms, lips curving into a smile.</p><p>“I hope you didn’t drink too much, my boy,” He laughs as he helps Lancelot guide Merlin into the room. “We don’t want you to lose control of your magic,”</p><p>“Only had a little….little bit. Right Lancey..lot,” The knight nods at the physician.</p><p>“He only had one mead. You’re just a lightweight, aren’t you, Merls?” Merlin giggles again before he falls to the floor. His face is planted in the floor as the air above his head becomes cloudy.</p><p>“I’m going to make so much rain,” His voice is muffled as he speaks, not lifting his face from the floor. Lancelot snorts as he kicks Merlin gently with his foot, rolling him onto his back.</p><p>“No rain, Merls, you’ll get us all wet,”</p><p>“Okay, Lance,” The cloud that has been getting darker above him begins to reduce in size. “I’m sleep--sleepy,” He says, broken by a yawn.</p><p>“Go to sleep, sunshine,” Gaius smiles as he watches Lancelot gently pick up his nephew, who wraps his arms around his friend’s neck, and speaks softly to him. “Let’s get you to bed, yeah?” Merlin nods slightly as he rests his head on Lancelot’s shoulder.</p><p>“G’d night, Gaius,”</p><p>“Goodnight, my boy.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. chapter three</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Up you get!” is the first thing that Arthur registers, followed closely by the feeling of something pulling his arm. “Come on, Arthur, you have stuff to do,” Arthur groans, hiding his face in his pillows.</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“Your father is expecting you to join him and Morgana for breakfast. And then you’ve got to train the knights. And then you wanted to-,” Merlin pauses as he finally pulls Arthur from the bed. The older Prince scowls up at the younger from the floor. “And then you’re done for the day.”</p><p>“Good one, Merlin,” Arthur groans as Merlin pushes a shirt into his arms and then pushes him behind his changing screen. “I haven’t forgotten about the hunt,”</p><p>“Ah, well,” Merlin shrugs as he grins brightly at Arthur, who emerges from behind the screen. “Worth a try, Arthur,” Just as he turns down the collar on Arthur’s shirt, there is a knock on his door. Arthur glances at him, silently asking if he is proper.</p><p>“Enter!” He calls following Merlin’s nod. The door pushes open slowly, and Lancelot enters the room.</p><p>“Prince Arthur,” He says, lowing his body into a bow.</p><p>“Sir Lancelot!” He greets, gesturing for the knight to take a seat, as he does himself. “Come in. I trust your journey was safe?”</p><p>“Indeed, Sire,” Lancelot nods as he sits in the chair.</p><p>“And Ealdor?”</p><p>“Good,” the knight glances towards Merlin, who is watching him carefully. “Quiet.” He ignores the way Merlin’s eyes narrow.</p><p>“Good. I’m glad.” Arthur nods, taking a sip from his goblet. “So, you are aware of the melee happening in a few days?” Lancelot nods as he looks up at Arthur. “I’ve been very impressed with you in training. I was wondering if you would like to compete?”</p><p>“Oh. Thank you, Sire,” Lancelot blushes slightly at the compliment, looking down at the table. “I would love to compete. If that is what you would like, Sire,”</p><p>“I would be very happy if you did. If, of course, you are comfortable representing Camelot in such an event. If your Prince would be happy,” Lancelot raises his gaze from the table to glance at Merlin, who nods subtly behind Arthur.</p><p>“I’m sure he would be, Sire,” Arthur nods as he stands up.</p><p>“I’m glad,” He claps Lancelot on the shoulder. “If you’ll excuse me, Lancelot, my father is expecting me. I will see you later for training, and we can talk more,”</p><p>“Of course, Sire,” Lancelot replies as Arthur leaves the room. He follows to leave, but the doors slam shut before he could reach them.</p><p>“Good?” Lance cringes slightly at Merlin’s prince voice; quiet, but sharp enough to capture the attention of a room. “Quiet?” He swallows before turning around to face the prince.</p><p>“Yes, My Lord,”</p><p>“What happened, Lancelot?” The knight hesitates before he answers.</p><p>“Nothing, My Lord,”</p><p>“Lancelot.” Lance opens his mouth to deny again but closes it when Merlin leans back against the table and crosses his arms, eyes narrowing. He sighs before he responds.</p><p>“I saw Gwaine,”</p><p>“And?”</p><p>“I told him you wanted to see him, and….”</p><p>“<em>And?</em>”</p><p>“He got a bit…mad?” Merlin hums lowly, urging Lancelot to get to the point. “Well, he wasn’t exactly sober. And then he…he left.”</p><p>“He left?” Merlin’s voice is sharp, his eyes narrowing again. “What do you mean he left?”</p><p>“He was angry. We thought he’d just gone to his chambers or to the tavern but...” Lance shrugs slightly as Merlin pulls a hand across his face.</p><p>“When was this?” When Lancelot hesitates again, Merlin almost growls.</p><p>“Well. The first day I was there. I would have been back sooner, but I was helping look for him,”</p><p>“And you found him, right?” Lancelot looks up as he notices the worry becoming more prominent in his prince’s voice. “You…you’ve been gone for almost two weeks. Please tell me you found him, Lance,”</p><p>“Will and Percival were still out looking when I left,” Merlin startles when Lance’s hand touches his shoulder, looking up at his knight from where his eyes had unconsciously fallen. “They will find him, Merlin,” Merlin nods slowly before shaking his head slightly. He rolls his shoulders before pushing himself off the table he was leaning against.</p><p>“Thank you. You should go and get ready for training, Sir Lancelot,” Lance lets his eyes drift over Merlin’s face, looking confused at the sudden dismissal. When Merlin does nothing but raise an eyebrow, Lancelot sighs quietly.</p><p>“My Lord,” he mumbles, bowing, before he turns and leaves the room, sighing as he looks back at Merlin, who has lowered himself down to the floor, head in his hands.</p>
<hr/><p>“Will you stop that!” Arthur groans as Merlin stumbles and yet another deer startles away. The younger boy looks up innocently at the other prince, a small smile on his face.</p><p>“I’m not sure what you’re talking about, My Lord,” He states. “I just fell over. There’s lots of roots around this part of the forest, you know. The ground is very uneven,” Arthur rolls his eyes at Merlin, unloading his crossbow and attaching it back to his saddle.</p><p>“We’ve been out for hours, and you have scared away every single animal we have gotten close to,”</p><p>“Oh, I don’t think that’s true, Sire,” Merlin replies with false brightness, trying to hide his worry from Arthur. “It must just be a coincidence.” He shakes his head mockingly. “A terrible, terrible coincidence. I am truly sorry your hunt wasn’t more fruitful, Sire, it’s a shame,”</p><p>“Today has been hard, Merlin, no thanks to you,” Arthur ignores his servant’s blatant disrespect, used to it by now. “And you know what you need after a hard day’s hunt?”</p><p>“Sleep?” Merlin suggests, following where Arthur had begun to lead his horse.</p><p>“A nice, cold tankard of mead.”</p><p>“Mead?” Arthur hums, handing his reins over to Merlin before taking off his gloves.</p><p>“No better place to measure the mood of your people than the local tavern, Merlin. Plus, this might cheer you up a bit, stop you making that pitiful face,”</p><p>“This is one of those moments,” Merlin scoffs, ignoring the last comment, “Where I tell you something isn’t a good idea and then you ignore me, isn’t it?” Arthur grins at the younger boy, clapping a hand on his shoulder.</p><p>“You’re learning, Merlin. Slowly, but you’re learning,” Merlin scowls as he finishes tying up the horses, pushing Arthur’s arm away. “Now, remember, in here you’re not my servant, I’m just a simple peasant like everyone else,”</p><p>“The simple part’s right,” Merlin mutters, following after the older prince.</p><p>“What was that?”</p><p>“I said,” Merlin looks up to the sky, shielding his eyes with his hand. “The sun is very bright,”</p><p>“Yeah,” Arthur stops for a moment to look up as well. “Yeah, it is,”</p><p>The tavern is loud when they walk in, large groups of people drinking and gambling. No one looks up when they enter, allowing them to take a seat at an empty table in a corner.</p><p>“You’re buying, right?” Arthur rolls his eyes at his servant, ignoring him as a barkeeper approaches their table.</p><p>“Afternoon. What will it be?”</p><p>“Er…” Arthur hesitates, looking around, missing the way the woman rakes her eyes over Merlin.</p><p>“Mhh,” She almost purrs, wiping the table down with a cloth, hand almost grazing Merlin’s. “You’re an handsome fellow,” Arthur turns back towards her.</p><p>“Well, you wouldn’t be the first to say it,”</p><p>“Oh,” The woman laughs slightly. “No, sorry. I was talking about your friend here,” Arthur raises an eyebrow, his own eyes looking Merlin’s body up and down.</p><p>“Him?” He questions, sounding a bit stunned.</p><p>“Thank you,” Merlin smiles, pleased, scowling when Arthur scoffs.</p><p>“Two tankards of mead, please,” The older prince bites out. Merlin shoots the barkeeper a bright smile as she walks away.</p><p>“I was wrong,” Merlin’s eyes are filled with humour as he looks back at Arthur. “Coming here was a great idea!” Arthur rolls his eyes.</p>
<hr/><p>The tavern goes quiet when a man enters, most of the people looking up from their drinks to watch him. Arthur and Merlin’s eyes join when the man pushes plates out of a serving girl’s hands, causing a loud clatter to resonate around the room.</p><p>“Afternoon, Mary,” He says to the barkeeper, looming threateningly across the bar. “Business looks good.”</p><p>“We have our better days,” The man nods, placing a small mace down on the bar top.</p><p>“I don’t suppose you begrudge me my share, then,” He fingers the coins that Mary tosses onto the bar, before looking up at her, eyes murderous. “And the rest?”</p><p>“That’s all we got,” A collective gasp sounds around the tavern as the man produces a small dagger, pulling the front of Mary’s shirt, and holds it to her throat.</p><p>“I’ll not ask again.” He growls lowly.</p><p>“Take your hands off her,” The man turns around when he hears Arthur’s voice, raising his fist before charging towards him. Just as the man approaches the prince, Arthur ducks, throwing the man into a shelf. The man stumbles to his feet, slowly turning around to glare at Arthur.</p><p>“I’m going to make you pay for that!” The man’s eyes flicker away from Arthur when he hears a chuckle.</p><p>“I’d like to see you try,” Merlin mumbles, eyes peering over the top of his tankard. The man is slow as he raises his fingers to his lips, whistling loudly. Merlin scrambles to his feet as a large group of men enter the tavern, all standing around their ringleader.</p><p>“You had to open your big mouth, didn’t you, Merlin?” The younger boy shrugs apologetically at Arthur, his eyes narrowing as another young man saunters up to Arthur, his eyes glancing over to the servant.</p><p>“You two have got yourselves into a bit of a pickle, haven’t you?”</p><p>“You should get out of here while you have the chance,” He looks over at Arthur before taking a sip from his tankard, turning towards the group of thugs.</p><p>“Yeah,” He murmurs, handing his now empty tankard to the leader of the thugs. “You’re probably right.”</p><p>He smiles softly, before he pulls his arm back and punches the leader’s face. It quickly escalates into a full brawl, everyone in the tavern suddenly on their feet and throwing tankards and plates at each other.</p><p>“Arthur!” Merlin calls out when he looses track of the Prince he is meant to be protecting. He looks around when he hears the reply.</p><p>“Merlin! Behind you!” Merlin ducks just in time to miss the chair that hits the wall, splintering into dozens of small pieces. He is sure his closed eyes are glowing golden where they are hidden as a he whispers a spell, and a vacant bench flies towards two large men marching towards him. The bench pushes them backwards across the tavern, giving Merlin a chance to slide under the bar. The man who threw the first punch approaches the bar, another man falling to the floor from where he was in a headlock.</p><p>“Pass the jug, won’t you, baby?” Merlin rolls his eyes as he reaches for the jug behind him, handing it across the bar. Merlin doesn't have the chance to open his mouth to warn the other man before he turns, punching the man that was approaching him from behind. He turns back to Merlin and smiles. “Good afternoon, Sweetness,”</p><p>“Shut up, Gwaine,” Merlin grumbles, making some plates fly across the room to knock out some of the thugs. “I’m not happy with you,”</p><p>“Yeah,” Gwaine snorts, smashing the jug over a thug’s head. “Lancelot mentioned,” Merlin turns his head as he hears Arthur shout, eyes widening as he sees the prince get pushed to the floor and the man pull another dagger out. Before Merlin can even say anything, Gwaine shouts and runs towards the man, pushing him away, falling to the ground. The dagger is stuck in his leg.</p><p>“Jesus fuck,” Merlin gasps out, running to Gwaine’s side. “You fucking idiot!”</p><p>“Come now, babe,” Gwaine groans, opening his eyes slightly before his head rolls to the side. “There’s no need for such foul language,” his eyes close, body going limp.</p><p>“Merlin?” Arthur calls out, sounding worlds away. Merlin blinks away the tears that are forming in his eyes.</p><p>“What?” He chokes on the words, ripping the bottom of his tunic into a long strip. “He is an idiot,”</p><p>“How is he?” Merlin flinches at the arm the touching his shoulder.</p><p>“Not...not good. He’s losing a lot of blood,” he ties the strip tightly around Gwaine’s leg above the dagger with shaking hands. “We need to get him to Gaius,” he looks up at Arthur, pleading look in his eyes. “Please, Arthur,”</p><p>“Yeah,” Arthur clears his throat, nodding as he stands up. “Yeah, of course,”</p>
<hr/><p>“So,” Arthur clears his throat as Camelot comes into view. “Friend of yours?” He juts his chin towards the body draped across Merlin’s horse.</p><p>“This…This is Gwaine,”</p><p>“Oh,” Arthur turns his head back around, hiding the snarl that forms on his lips. “<em>Gwaine</em>,”</p><p>“What do you mean ‘<em>Gwaine</em>’? You’ve never met him. You can’t not like him when he just saved your life!”</p><p>“Nothing,” Arthur shrugs, taking all his effort to not turn around when he feels Merlin’s glare burning the back of his head. “Heard a lot about him. What?” He growls out when Merlin scoffs.</p><p>“So, you’ve decided you don’t like him because Lancelot has told you a few stories?”</p><p>“A lot of stories,” Arthur grumbles quietly. “You two are…<em>close</em>,”</p><p>“Yeah? I’ve known him for seven years, Arthur, of course we’re going to be close-,”</p><p>“You’re only fourteen?” Arthur snaps his mouth shut as soon as the words are out, his cheeks quickly turning pink.</p><p>“What?” Merlin’s head snaps up to him. “What are you talking about, Arthur, I’m sixteen,”</p><p>“Sixteen,” Arthur breathes out. “Lancelot said you’ve known Gwaine since you were seven. That makes you four…fourteen?”</p><p>“I think I know how old I am, Arthur,” Merlin scoffs again.</p><p>“Yes, how do you know that?” Arthur questions, glad for the topic change away from the man on Merlin’s horse. “Only royalty and nobles tend to know that sort of stuff,”</p><p>“Lancelot is one of my best friends, Arthur. He is also one of the Prince’s best knights. Is it such a stretch that I know the Prince?”</p><p>“Still doesn’t explain how you know,” Merlin sighs, causing Arthur to narrow his eyes at the exasperated sound.</p><p>“My mother is close to the King. When I was born, the King made a note of it,” Merlin looks uncomfortable as Arthur looks at him, eyes still narrowed. “Can we just…get back, please? I’d quite like Gwaine not to die, even if you don’t like him,” Merlin doesn’t wait for an answer before he spurs his horse to speed up, one hand on the reins and one resting on the back of Gwaine’s jacket.</p>
<hr/><p>It is mid-morning when Gwaine startles awake in Merlin’s bed, just as Merlin places a plate of food on the small table next to the bed.</p><p>“Where am I?” He groans out, raising himself up on to his elbows.</p><p>“Camelot.” Gwaine flinches slightly at the coldness in Merlin’s voice. “You saved Arthur’s life,”</p><p>“Arthur?” He questions. “Prince Arthur? Well, now I wish I hadn’t,”</p><p>“Well, you did,” Merlin’s voice is still cold as he potters around the room, trying not to look at the man in his bed. “And now Uther wants to thank you personally, as soon as you’ve recovered,”</p><p>“Recovered?”</p><p>“You were stabbed. Although you probably don’t remember, you know, with you being off your fucking face-” Merlin is interrupted by Lancelot coming into the room, hovering by the door.</p><p>“My Lord?” He asks hesitantly, letting out a breath when Merlin nods slightly. “Arthur said you were here. You got stabbed?” He looks towards Gwaine, who opens his mouth to respond before he is cut off.</p><p>“It’s his own damn fault.” Merlin mutters, before closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. Without opening his eyes, he makes his way out of the room, closing the door behind him. Gwaine turns his eyes on to Lancelot, narrowing them.</p><p>“What have you told him?” He bites out as Lancelot sighs and sits down on the bed.</p><p>“I told him your drinking was getting bad again,” Lancelot rolls his eyes, ignoring the scoff that sounds from Gwaine. “And then I came home, and you disappeared for two weeks. You can’t blame him for being annoyed with you. He’s just worried, and it’s coming out sideways,”</p><p>“I’m not a child, Lancelot,” Gwaine groans slightly as he sits himself up. “I can take care of myself.”</p><p>“Yeah,” Lance replies dryly, eyes dropping to the scar on Gwaine’s left leg. “Clearly.” He hesitates somewhat before he continues. “It’s…it’s okay to admit that you’re struggling with him gone, you know. Nobody is going to think any less of you,” Gwaine scoffs again, but turns his eyes away from his friend. It isn’t fair, he thinks, how well Lancelot knows him. How he knows everything he's feeling and every insecurity he has like it is painted on his face, clear as day. “He cares about you a lot. That’s why he’s annoyed. He’s a long way away from you, and it’s hard for him. You know he’s a bleeding heart when it comes to people he cares about. You’ve got to give him a bit of slack. He shouldn’t have to worry about you like a mother when he’s dealing with everything else,” Gwaine hums non-committedly as he picks at the threads of the blanket covering his legs. Just as he opens his mouth to respond, Merlin storms back into the room.</p><p>“Drink this.” He orders, handing a vial to Gwaine, eyes still hard and arms folded across his body. When Gwaine hesitates and looks between the vial and Merlin, the Prince sighs and lowers his arms. “I didn’t make it, Gaius did. I promise I’m not going to poison you,”</p><p>“Again,” Gwaine mumbles, stiffening slightly when Merlin’s eyes harden again. They soften slightly as he turns to Lancelot.</p><p>“I better go and train,” He mumbles a quiet ‘<em>good luck’</em> to Gwaine as he claps him on the shoulder, clearly taking the hint. “Gwaine. Sire.” He nods as he walks past the Prince, closing the door behind him, leaving Gwaine and Merlin alone. Gwaine grimaces as he swallows the contents of the vial in his hand, waiting to see who broke first. He isn’t sure whether it has been ten seconds or ten minutes when he gave in.</p><p>“Look,” He mumbles, eyes on the floor. “I get you’re upset with me, but fuck you, Merlin, I’m upset with you, too,” He lets out a small breath when Merlin rolls his eyes and sits down on the bed.</p><p>“I didn’t choose to leave, Gwaine. I didn’t want to.”</p><p>“But you did,” Gwaine snorts, a humourless sound. Merlin ignores him.</p><p>“And even if I had wanted to leave, that’s no excuse to drink yourself to death,” Gwaine laughs this time, still no humour present.</p><p>“I’m not drinking myself to death, Merlin. Just because one drink gets you off your face doesn’t mean it’s going to hurt me. Unlike you, Great Lord Emrys, I’m not a child and I can hold my liquor.” The ground trembles as thunder roars through the sky. Gwaine takes one look at Merlin’s hands, balled into fists, and rolls his eyes. “Yes, very mature. Real control over your feelings there, Merlin. Like an <em>adult</em>,” When there is another rumble through the air, louder and longer than the last, Merlin closes his eyes. He stands up, taking a deep breath, and walks through the door again.</p><p>“Where are you going, my boy,” Gwaine watches as Merlin pauses at the door of the physician’s chambers, shoulders rolling back as he lets out the breath.</p><p>“I have to go.” His voice is clear despite his words being quiet. “Otherwise, I’m going to end up stabbing him myself,” The door slams shut behind him, and Gaius turns to look at Gwaine through the open bedroom door.</p><p>“He’ll calm down, Gwaine,” The physician reassures him as he groans, head falling onto the pillow behind him. “Just give him some time,”</p>
<hr/><p>The sun is high in the sky when Gwaine next wakes up. The door to the bedroom is open slightly, and through the gap he can see Merlin sat on the floor, aggressively cleaning a pile of shoes. He barely makes a noise as he climbs out of the bed, slipping out of the room and sitting down next to Merlin. The younger boy doesn’t look up at him as Gwaine picks up another boot and starts cleaning it. Gwaine cleans three boots before he hears Merlin sigh.</p><p>“I’m just…I’m worried about you, Gwaine,” The knight puts the boot he is cleaning down and wrings his hands in his lap before sighing himself, looking up at Merlin, who is still focusing on the shoe he is cleaning.</p><p>“I appreciate it, Merlin, really. But,” He takes a deep breath before continuing. “You don’t need to worry about me. It’s not a big deal.” He sighs again when Merlin’s eyes find his, and he notices them glistening with unshed tears.</p><p>“Lance said that you’ve been disappearing for days at a time. You just disappeared for two weeks.” He is almost whispering, blinking rapidly to stop the tears from falling. “What if, one day, you don’t come back. What if one day you drink too much or, or you get into a fight with someone who you can’t fight against. It would break me, Gwaine,”</p><p>“It’s okay, Merlin,” Gwaine’s own voice is quiet as he takes one of Merlin’s shaking hands in his own larger ones. “I won’t die,” Merlin lets out a soft laugh, wiping his eyes with his one free hand.</p><p>“You can’t die, Gwaine. I forbid it. You die, and I charge you with treason.” Gwaine snorts quietly, covering it with a cough when Merlin glares at him. “Honestly, you keep this up and I’ll ban you from all the taverns in Spero again. And if that doesn’t work, I’ll forbid you from leaving the castle.”</p><p>“What? You’re going to ground me, mother?” Gwaine realises that is the wrong thing to say when Merlin snatches his hand away and gets to his feet, pacing around the room.</p><p>“I’ll fucking arrest you if I have to, Gwaine,” Gwaine’s on his feet as fast as he can with an injured leg, pulling Merlin into a hug. He shushes him slightly when Merlin lets out a sob.</p><p>“Okay, okay. It’s alright, Merls,” He cards a hand through Merlin’s hair while the younger boy cries into his chest. “Lucky I haven’t put a shirt on, huh, Merls? Otherwise, you’d be ruining it,” Merlin lets out another wet laugh at that, pulling his face away from Gwaine’s body. They’re quiet for a few minutes, Gwaine rocking them slightly from side to side, shushing every time Merlin lets out a sob. Merlin pulls away, eventually, and looks at Gwaine.</p><p>“You’re one of the most important people in my life, Gwaine. It hurts to know that you’re hurting yourself. You need to take care of yourself. For me. Please?” Gwaine pulls Merlin back into his chest before the prince can notice the tears in Gwaine’s own eyes, and it takes him a moment to choke out his response of <em>yes, Merlin, yes, okay</em>.</p><p>Gwaine feels like a he spends a thousand lifetimes in his favourite place, arms wrapped around Merlin, Merlin’s fingers running up and down his arms, when he hears someone shout Merlin’s name.</p><p>“Jesus,” Merlin groans out, lifting his head. “Guy can’t survive without me for an hour,”</p><p>“Terribly sorry to interrupt you, <em>Mer</em>lin,” Gwaine’s eyes narrow at the low drawl, his head turning towards the prince leaning against the door. “Glad to see you up and about, Gwaine,” Gwaine hums slightly, eyes not softening. He jumps slightly when Merlin pinches the skin of his hip.</p><p>“Thank you.” He grits his teeth when Merlin pinches him again, forcing him to continue. “<em>Sire,</em>” Merlin lets out a pleased hum, patting his hip where he had pinched comfortingly. Gwaine rolls his eyes as he pushes Merlin off him.</p><p>“Yes, Arthur?” Merlin rubs his eyes softly before looking over at Arthur.</p><p>“You okay, there?” Arthur asks, voice going a bit soft, glaring slightly at Gwaine as if he thinks it is <em>Gwaine’s</em> fault that Merlin is crying. Which. Fair enough, Gwaine has to give it to him, but this random Prince glaring at him like that? No thank you. When Arthur’s eyes return to Merlin and soften instantly, Gwaine put the pieces together. He quirks an eyebrow slightly as he lifts a hand to Merlin’s cheek to wipe a tear he has missed, causing Arthur’s eyes to narrow once again when Merlin smiles softly.</p><p>“I’m fine. Is there something you need, Arthur?” Merlin waits, turning towards Arthur, raising an eyebrow slightly. “Arthur!”</p><p>“Yes?” Arthur snaps out of his glare, turning his head towards the younger boy, away from Gwaine. “Yes.” He coughs, shaking his head. “Training. Let’s go.” He turns around, not waiting to check that Merlin is following him.</p><p>“Training?” Gwaine perks up a bit, turning back towards Merlin. “Hey, can I-”</p><p>“No.” Merlin cuts in immediately, shaking his head, squeezing Gwaine’s leg gently. “You cannot join in. No strenuous activity. You can come and watch, though. I can tell you about these nobles I think are trying to kill Arthur.”</p>
<hr/><p>“You think it’s magic?” Gwaine asks, leaning against the fence Merlin is perched on, wincing slightly when he puts too much weight on his hurt leg before relaxing.</p><p>“Yeah,” Merlin sighs. “I can feel it when I’m near them. I don’t know what it is though,”</p><p>“Do you know why they want to kill him?”</p><p>“No idea. Arthur said that they were close, growing up, him and Oswald. And Gaius said Oswald was always kind and thoughtful. But I’ve not seen it,” Gwaine looks over to where Arthur and Lancelot are walking up to the field. “I’m not sure about Ethan, though. Nobody knows him,”</p><p>“Have you told him?” He asks.</p><p>“Of course, I have. Not really much that Lance can do about it,”</p><p>“Not <em>Lance</em>,” Gwaine scoffs, kicking his foot slightly. “Princess.”</p><p>“Oh.” Merlin pauses slightly, looking up towards Arthur. “No. I can’t do that.” He smiles when Lancelot approaches them.</p><p>“Why can’t you tell him?” Gwaine asks, patting Lance on the shoulder in greeting.</p><p>“He wouldn’t believe me,” Merlin says simply as he shrugs, pointedly ignoring Gwaine’s eyes zoning in on him. He's saved from having to explain himself when Arthur strolls up past him.</p><p>“Grab my sword, Merlin,” Arthur makes it only a few steps away before Gwaine calls out to him.</p><p>“Too important to get it yourself, Princess?” Arthur stops walking, not turning towards them, but Gwaine smirks when he sees one of his hands form a fist.</p><p>“Not that it’s any of your business, <em>Gwaine</em>, but it is, in fact, Merlin’s job,” Arthur doesn’t wait for an answer before he storms away, missing the way Gwaine widens his eyes and turns to where Merlin is walking across the field to where the swords are.</p><p>“<em>What?</em>” He gasps. “He’s a <em>servant</em>? You said he was just working for Gaius!” He points a finger at Lancelot.</p><p>“This is why I didn’t tell you,” Lancelot offers, looking a bit sheepish. “Look, he came here to protect Arthur. What better position to be in than his personal manservant?” Lancelot’s reasoning does nothing to diminish the disgust on Gwaine’s face. “Listen, he’s safe. And Arthur treats him really well,” He lowers his voice, turning his face away. “considering,”</p><p>“Considering what, Lance?” Gwaine almost growls.</p><p>“Well. This isn’t Spero?” Lancelot tries. “Typically, servants aren’t treated as well here. It’s…very different here. But Arthur, even though you clearly don’t like him, he’s a good man,”</p><p>“You truly believe that?” Gwaine raises an eyebrow, looking over to where Merlin is handing Arthur a sword, rolling his eyes and grumbling.</p><p>“I do. It’s the other knights that are the problem. Well, most of them anyway. Just, don’t say anything, okay? He’s just stopped being annoyed at you.”</p><p>“Arthur wants you over there, Lance.” Merlin calls as he gets closer, jumping back up on top of the fence.</p><p>“Of course,” Lancelot nods. “See you later, Gwaine. Merlin,” The two hum as they watch Lance make his way over to the group of knights. They sit in silence for a while, Gwaine keeping his arm in contact with Merlin’s leg the whole time. When Gwaine starts shifting on his hurt leg and lowering himself to the floor, Merlin jumps down as well, stretching his legs out and resting his head on Gwaine’s shoulder, picking threads off his trousers.</p><p>“So,” Gwaine starts, bending his good leg up and resting his cheek on it so he can look at Merlin. “What are you going to do about these knights that are out to kill the princess?”</p><p>“Ughh,” Merlin groans, turning his head further into Gwaine’s shoulder, muffling his voice. “I don’t know,” Merlin moans into his shoulder for a few moments before he stops, pulling his head up. His eyes search the training field, before they stop, focussing on Oswald and Ethan. “Yes, I do. Cover for me if Arthur asks where I am, won’t you?” He asks sweetly, patting Gwaine’s knee as he starts to stand up.</p><p>“Whoa,” Gwaine calls, grabbing Merlin’s hand and causing him to stumble slightly. “Where are you going?”</p><p>“Just going to check something out.” Gwaine raises his eyebrows slightly at Merlin and where his eyes are back on the visiting knights.</p><p>“And what if princess finishes the training before you’re back?”</p><p>“Well,” Merlin says, pulling his hand free and starting to walk away. “We’ll just have to hope something distracts him, won’t we?” He winks over his shoulder before speeding across the courtyard and back into the castle.</p><p>“Where’s he off to?” Gwaine jumps at Lancelot’s voice above him, looking up and shielding his eyes from the sun. Lancelot shifts slightly to the side, blocking the bright light.</p><p>“Gone to check if there’s something up with those knights,” He grunts as he pushes himself to his feet, wincing slightly at the pressure on his leg.</p><p>“Hmm,” Lance hums as he holds out a hand to steady Gwaine. “What if they finish training?” Gwaine lets his eyes flitter across to Arthur.</p><p>“He wants me to distract Arthur,” Lancelot hums again, looking thoughtfully to where Gwaine was now standing comfortably, putting equal weight on both of his legs.</p><p>“Spar with me,” He says, eyes also flicking up to where Arthur is now looking over to them. Gwaine lets out a laugh.</p><p>“While I am very confident that I could still kick your arse while being injured, Lance, Merlin has forbidden me from doing anything strenuous. Anyway, wouldn’t want to get roped into serving the princess. You know how I feel about nobles,”</p><p>“First time seeing him in a month, and you can’t even enjoy an evening together? Shame,” Lancelot shakes his head mockingly, laughing when Gwaine pushes at his shoulder.</p><p>“I know,” He pouts, before his eyes light up suddenly. “Hey, have you seen Merlin and Arthur? Merlin kept sneaking glances at him, thinking I wouldn’t notice.”</p><p>“Yeah,” Lancelot smiles, leaning against the fence a bit. “They’re both so oblivious. Every time Merlin flirts with someone, Arthur’s glaring at him. It happens a lot. It’s why he doesn’t like you, if you haven’t already caught on,”</p><p>“Of course it happens a lot, Merlin flirts with anything that moves. And I’m not sure what any of this has to do with me,”</p><p>“Well,” Lance smirks softly. “Arthur somehow became aware of the fact that you and Merlin are somewhat…involved,”</p><p>“’<em>Involved’,</em>” Gwaine rolls his eyes. “We’re not courting, Lancelot.”</p><p>“No, I suppose not,” Lancelot’s smirk widens as he looks up at Gwaine. “Suppose you’re just a pair of sluts who spend half their time shagging,”</p><p>“Well, when you look as good as Merls and I, what else can you do, really?” Gwaine smiles brightly as Lancelot rolls his eyes. Gwaine’s smile quickly dims when he notices Arthur walking over.</p><p>“Where has Merlin gone?” Gwaine scowls for a moment before glancing up at Lance, and then tries to fight a smile off his face. Arthur raises an eyebrow and crosses his arms, waiting for an answer.</p><p>“Merlin?” Gwaine asks innocently, fighting the smile harder when he sees Arthur get more annoyed. “Oh. He went off with someone,”</p><p>“What? Who, why?”</p><p>“Well,” Gwaine shrugs, looking over in the direction where Merlin had left. “Pretty girl came over and they were whispering for a bit. And then they went off together.” He dips his head down to hide the smirk that he can’t fight off his face from Arthur. “Holding hands.” Lancelot lets out a laugh when Arthur’s face turns a bit red, but quickly turns it into a cough.</p><p>“Who was the girl?” Gwaine raises an eyebrow at Arthur’s obvious attempt to sound nonchalant but doesn’t say anything about it.</p><p>“I don’t know, princess. I don’t know anyone here. And, unlike Lancelot here, I have no intention of staying,” His eyes narrow when Arthur scoffs.</p><p>“Yeah. Too busy farming in Ealdor. Sounds like a real hoot, that does.” Before Gwaine can respond, Lancelot cuts in.</p><p>“Actually, Sire, Gwaine’s a knight,” Arthur’s eyes snap to Gwaine before looking him up and down.</p><p>“Oh.” He says simply, shrugging slightly. “Forgive me. You don’t look like nobility.”</p><p>“‘<em>Nobility</em>’,” Gwaine scoffs, voice filled with distaste. Lancelot pats his shoulder comfortingly as a confused look grows on Arthur’s face.</p><p>“How are you a knight if you’re not a noble?” He asks, bemused.</p><p>“Prince Emrys doesn’t discriminate against those who aren’t of noble blood. He gives everybody a chance.” Lancelot injects before Gwaine can say anything, worried that Gwaine might say something that actually annoys Arthur. What he didn’t account for, was the opposite happening.</p><p>“Oh, so this Emrys guy is just going around knighting commoners now?”</p><p>“Oh, fuck you, Arthur,” Gwaine growls out. Arthur just looks at him, eyebrow raising minutely.</p><p>“Well, it’s clear you have no respect for nobility, yet you’re a knight. You serve the very thing you hate. You serve a royal family.”</p><p>“I serve Emrys. Not the royal family. Emrys has earned my respect. Other nobles tend not to do that.” He gives Arthur a pointed glare. “When nobility has earned my respect, I will give it,”</p><p>“Now I get why you and Merlin get along so well,” Arthur mumbles bitterly, and opens his mouth to say something else, but is distracted by Merlin walking back around the field. Gwaine’s face lights up again when he notices Merlin’s ruffled hair and torn jacket, pleased that, without even knowing it, Merlin has been able to feed into the narrative he has given Arthur. “Where have you been?”</p><p>“What?” Merlin’s head shoots up when he hears the anger in Arthur’s voice. “Oh. Uhh…Morgana needed help with something,”</p><p>“Morgana?” His voice drops, hands clenching at his side.</p><p>“Enjoy yourself?” Gwaine asks, smirking at Arthur when he lets out a quiet, distressed noise. Merlin shoots Arthur a confused glance before turning back to Gwaine and Lancelot.</p><p>“Yes,” He says, looking down at where his finger is bleeding. “Very…rewarding,” Gwaine frowns down at Merlin’s finger, ignoring the broken noise that comes out of Arthur’s mouth when he lifts the finger to his lips and kisses it softly, smiling when he notices Merlin’s cheeks going pink. Lancelot snorts when Arthur turns and walks away, dismissing his knights with a yell.</p><p>“What happened?” He asks, nodding at the finger that is now healing slowly as Gwaine whispers a small spell, safe now that Arthur had left.</p><p>“It’s not fair that you can do that,” Gwaine coos at Merlin’s pout, bringing up a hand and pinching his cheeks.</p><p>“Please,” He sighs, bumping Merlin with his shoulder. “You can literally summon lightening, Merlin. I can do one healing spell, which is only successful half the time, and has taken me seven years to get. Anyway, the knights.”</p><p>“I still don’t know why they want to do it, but it’s their swords. I felt the magic as soon as I walked in the room, and I didn’t think it could be the swords because they looked so blunt. But I picked one up and,” He shrugs down to his finger before he starts walking back towards the castle, Lancelot and Gwaine trailing behind him.</p><p>“What are we going to do about it, then?”</p><p>“You two, are doing nothing.” The two knights look at each other behind their prince. “Look, I know you’re doing that look. You’re not doing anything. There’s something magic, and as much as I love you both, you’d be useless to defend yourself against it,”</p><p>“So, we’re just meant to leave you to it?” Gwaine rolls his eyes as Merlin hums, pushing the door to Gaius’ chambers open. “And what if something goes wrong?”</p><p>“Well,” Merlin considers, looking out the window to where the sun is beginning to set and wrapping a small bandage around his freshly healed finger because, although he’s proud that Gwaine managed the spell, there is a possibility that it will wear off. “I need to attend to Arthur after, so if Arthur sends a guard here to find me, assume something has gone wrong,” Merlin nods once to himself before walking towards the door. “Lance, who is on patrol tonight?”</p><p>“Leon, I think,” Merlin hums again. “Be safe,” Merlin salutes sarcastically before he leaves the room, leaving the two knights in the Gaius’s rooms.</p><p>“He’s lucky he’s pretty,” Gwaine sighs, lying down on the cot Gaius has for patients. “Otherwise I wouldn’t go along with his stupid plans,” Lancelot only snorts in reply as he takes a seat next to him.</p>
<hr/><p>It is almost three candle marks later that a guard enters the room, looking around.</p><p>“Good evening, Sir Lancelot,” The guard nods at Lancelot where he is sitting next to the cot Gwaine is sleeping on, reading one of Gaius’s medicine books. “Is Merlin in here? Prince Arthur is asking for him,”</p><p>“Oh,” Lance sis up, letting the book drop to the floor. “No, he’s not here,” The clattering of the book on the floor jolts Gwaine awake.</p><p>“Wha…wha’s happening?” He asks as he shoots up, one hand running through his hair.</p><p>“Merlin hasn’t shown up for Arthur,” Lancelot supplies, standing up and walking towards the door. “We’ll go and look for him, Anthony,”</p><p>“Thank you, Lancelot,” Anthony nods, turning to leave. “I shall go and let the Prince know,”</p><p>“Where’s he likely to be?” Gwaine groans as he pushes himself off the cot. He groans again when Lancelot just shrugs. “Wonderful. I take back what I said about him being pretty. That doesn’t make up for his shitty plans anymore,”</p>
<hr/><p>Gwaine is walking down a dark hallway when he hears a series of dull thuds in one of the rooms.</p><p>“My mistake,” He hears a voice crow. “He’s not the snivelling thief I thought he was,” There is another thud in the wall, and his blood goes cold when he hears a shaky voice respond.</p><p>“I…I’m sorry, Sire,” Merlin’s words are just audible through the wall, but Gwaine can hear his heavy breathing clearly. He pushes the door open as quietly as he can, trying not to alert the people in the room of his presence. He struggles to contain a growl when Oswald raises a sword to Merlin.</p><p>“I’ve had enough of you,” The man snarls, swinging his arm around, causing Merlin to duck. When Gwaine notices Merlin beginning to utter a spell, he decides it is time for him to reveal himself.</p><p>“Is there a problem here?” He asks as he walks forward, eyes focused entirely on Merlin and where he is shaking against the wall.</p><p>“No. Now leave,” Oswald lowers both his sword and his voice, glaring slightly at Gwaine, who promptly ignores him.</p><p>“You alright, Merlin?” He asks, anger rising when Merlin mouths the word <em>no</em>, seemingly without realising as he nods his head slowly at the same time.</p><p>“I thought I told you to leave.”</p><p>“I wasn’t talking to you.” Gwaine snaps back at Oswald, causing Ethan to jump to action.</p><p>“How dare you talk to a knight like that!” Ethan draws his sword and goes to attack Gwaine, but the other man is too quick, unsheathing his own sword and batting Ethan’s away. Gwaine is quick to disarm Ethan and catch the sword, kicking the knight back, making him fall to the floor. Oswald approaches Gwaine from behind with his own sword, but Gwaine is quick to turn around and disarm him as well. Gwaine is holding a sword to Oswald’s neck when Sir Leon rushes into the room.</p><p>“What’s going on?” His voice is clear and loud, causing Gwaine to drop his sword down from where he is holding it up to Oswald’s neck and kick it away.</p><p>“This man has tried to kill me!” Oswald scrambles to his feet. “I demand an audience with the king!” The guards that have followed Leon into the room pull Gwaine’s arms behind his back. They look up at Leon for instructions.</p><p>“Take him to the dungeons,” Leon sighs at the guards. He waits until they have left the room to turn back around. He does a double take when he notices how pale Merlin looks, still shaking against the wall. “Are you alright, Merlin?” He asks, voice soft. Merlin glances up nervously at Oswald and Ethan, eyes wide. “Merlin?”</p><p>“Ye…Yes, My Lord,” His eyes only flicker up to Leon for a second, before they are back on Ethan and Oswald. When Oswald takes a step forward, Merlin flinches backwards, hitting his head on the stone wall in a way Leon is sure hurt like hell, but Merlin doesn’t seem to acknowledge it as he holds himself as flat as possible against the wall.</p><p>“Come with me, Merlin,” Leon requests softly, holding his hand out in front of Merlin, giving him plenty of warning before he places it gently on his upper arm and guiding him towards the door. Just before he leaves the room himself, he turns back to the two knights. “The King is currently indisposed, but someone will come and let you know when he is ready to see you.” He leaves without waiting for a response, leading a still shaking Merlin across the castle to Arthur’s chambers. He knocks once on the door, waiting for Arthur’s permission before entering. Arthur smiles at Leon when he enters, but the expression quickly shifts to worry when he sees Merlin.</p><p>“Merlin? What happened?” He asks gently, carefully pulling Merlin to sit at the table next to him.</p><p>“I believe there has been an altercation between Merlin and Sirs Oswald and Ethan,” Leon responds when Merlin struggles to get the words out.</p><p>“What do you mean? What kind of altercation?” Arthur tries to keep his rising anger out of his voice, fearing frightening Merlin further. He frowns when Leon sighs.</p><p>“I heard swords,” The knight swallows harshly, trying to contain his own growing rage. “When I arrived at the source, it was the rooms Oswald and Ethan are staying in. Merlin’s friend had a sword and was fighting Oswald. Merlin was…Merlin was against the wall.”</p><p>“What aren’t you telling me, Leon?” Arthur’s eyes narrow as he sees Merlin shake his head slightly at the knight in his peripheral.</p><p>“Well, where Merlin was standing there were…knives in the wall,” Leon’s hands, already tightly curled into fists, shake slightly. “Like someone had been throwing them at him,” Arthur turns to Merlin, trying to keep his face neutral.</p><p>“Did Oswald throw the knives at you?” He follows Merlin’s eyes when his gaze flickers to the door where they could hear people passing, placing a hand gently on his shoulder, letting out a breath when the younger boy doesn’t flinch this time. “You can speak freely,” He takes a sharp intake when Merlin nods his head, the smallest of movements. “Was Gwaine defending you?” He nods his own head when Merlin repeats the movement, before turning to Leon. “Where is Gwaine?”</p><p>“The guards have taken him to the dungeon. Sir Oswald is under the impression that Gwaine attempted to kill him,”</p><p>“He didn’t!” Merlin’s voice is frantic and loud, his eyes widening as he looks up at Arthur. “He…he didn’t, Arthur, he-”</p><p>“Shh,” Arthur’s hand squeezes gently where it is on Merlin’s shoulder still. “It’s okay, Merlin, I believe you. Leon, I’m going to need you to go and get Gwaine from the dungeons.” The knight nods his head before he leaves the room. Arthur turns back to Merlin, taking his hand back and folding it on the table. He stays quiet for a few moments, watching as Merlin calms down. When his breathing is back to normal, and the tears in his eyes dried, he raises his eyes to Arthur. “He didn’t hurt you, did he? Do I need to get someone to get Gaius?”</p><p>“NO!” Merlin’s eyes widen at the mention of his uncle. “No. He didn’t hurt me, just…knives and swords,” His eyes drop to the table when he sees the anger in Arthur’s eyes rise again.</p><p>“Before today…did they do anything?” Arthur narrows his eyes when Merlin just shrugs, tapping his fingers on the table. “<em>Merlin.</em>” The younger boy sighs, keeping his eyes down.</p><p>“They…pushed me around a bit. Threw some stuff,”</p><p>“Why didn’t you tell me?” Arthur’s voice is quiet, his own eyes, trying not to let it show how much it hurt that Merlin hadn’t trusted him.</p><p>“There was nothing to tell you, Arthur. I was handling it,” Arthur lets out a scoff before he can help it.</p><p>“You should have told me. I could have gotten someone else to see to them,”</p><p>“What, and make someone else put up with them? No way,” He shakes his head, eyes sharp as they meet Arthur’s. “I’m not going to let someone who wouldn’t stand up for themselves serve someone like that. I’m not going to let you put someone else through that.”</p><p>“You don’t get to decide what I do, Merlin,” Arthur sighs as he stands up so Merlin can’t see the look of admiration that is inevitably on his face. “I shouldn’t have put you in that position. Where you were in harm. I’m…I’m sorry,” Merlin smiles up softly at the older man.</p><p>The few moments of comfortable silence they share is interrupted when Leon re-enters the room, followed closely by an annoyed looking Gwaine.</p><p>“I do hope you’re not going to execute me for daring to stand up to nobles, Princess,” He spits out as he walks up to Merlin, taking his head in both hands and checking for injuries. He nods when he is satisfied that Merlin isn’t injured and leans down to place a kiss on his hair. Arthur rolls his eyes as Gwaine pulls out the chair next to Merlin and sits down, not waiting for any sort of welcome.</p><p>“I believe I owe you thanks for defending a member of my household,” He says.</p><p>“Hey!” Merlin’s head shoots up, lips curving down into a frown. “I’m not some <em>maiden </em>who needs defending!”</p><p>“Shut up, Merlin,” Arthur sighs. “Take a seat, Leon,” He mumbles as he pulls out his seat and sits down, putting his elbows on the table and folding his hands together as he turns his head towards Gwaine. “Oswald has accused you of trying to kill him,” He sighs when Gwaine just stares back at him. “Not going to defend yourself? Apologise? At least pretend to feel bad about attacking a noble?”</p><p>“Oh,” Sarcasm drips from Gwaine’s voice, and he ignores as Merlin hisses his name quietly. “I feel terrible, My Lord. So bad. Please forgive me. Next time I will just leave Merlin to get slaughtered. I really do feel oh, so terrible about it,”</p><p>“Shut up, Gwaine,” Merlin hisses, pinching the skin on Gwaine’s bicep. Arthur raises an eyebrow as Merlin and Gwaine appear to have an entire conversation with just their eyes, which ends with Gwaine scowling and crossing his arms, slouching down in the chair. Merlin looks away from him, an annoyed expression on his face. “Sorry, Arthur,”</p><p>“Oswald has asked for an audience with my father. As he is unaware of your…<em>knighthood</em>, it is likely that he is going to call for your execution,” Arthur closes his eyes when he hears Merlin let out a pained noise, not seeing the way Merlin’s hands subconsciously scramble for Gwaine’s.</p><p>“Fair,” Gwaine nods his head, letting Merlin squeeze his hand. “I’m telling you now, though, I’m going to escape the moment that I am alone in that prison cell,”</p><p>“Wonderful.” Arthur holds his head in his hands, breathing out heavily. “Thank you for the heads up.” A guard knocks on the door.</p>
<hr/><p>“Sire, this man attacked me with a sword. He tried to kill me!” Uther turns his head to where Gwaine has been forced to his knees in the middle of the throne room.</p><p>“Is this true?”</p><p>“I stepped in to protect Merlin.” Gwaine pulls his hands against the chains that have been reattached to his wrists.</p><p>“I tried to talk to him,” Oswald doesn’t look towards the man on the floor when he speaks, sneering as if Gwaine is beneath him. “He was like a man possessed. I’m sure that Sir Ethan will back me up,”</p><p>“Indeed,” Ethan steps forward slightly as he nods at Uther. “I can vouch for his every word,”</p><p>“He’s a liar!” Gwaine’s voice rises as he pushes himself to his feet, guards immediately grabbing at his arms with a vice like grip as Uther spins around harshly.</p><p>“I will have your tongue!” The King growls, pointing a finger at Gwaine. “How dare you speak to a knight in that way!” Arthur shudders at the cold look that grows on his father’s face when Gwaine scowls at him.</p><p>“Nobility is defined by what you do, and not by who you are.” Gwaine’s voice is low as he struggles against the guard’s hands, managing to shake one of them off. “And these men are anything but. They are arrogant thugs!”</p><p>“Gwaine,” Arthur steps forwards, trying to defuse some of the anger Gwaine is feeling.</p><p>“Well, you see, Sire, how he behaves.”</p><p>“I’ve heard enough.” Uther turns back to Gwaine. “For a commoner to attack a nobleman is in violation of the Knight’s Code.”</p><p>“I couldn’t agree with you more, Sire.” Oswald nods his head as he crosses his arms in front of him. “He must be made an example of,”</p><p>“Sir Oswald, please,” Arthur takes another step forward, but is stopped by Uther’s hand on his chest. He is glad that he hasn’t allowed Merlin to be in the room when Oswald opens his mouth again.</p><p>“Nothing less than his execution will give me satisfaction.” Gwaine’s eyes narrow at Oswald in disbelief, even though both he and Arthur knew Oswald was going to call for it. Arthur sighs as he turns towards his father.</p><p>“Father, I understand how this must look, it’s an embarrassing situation,” He holds his arm out, gesturing to Oswald and Ethan, unsure he would be able to keep the disgust he feels off his face if he turned to face them. “Sir Oswald is a…<em>dear</em> friend and our guest here in Camelot. But,” He take a breath, letting his gaze fall to Gwaine’s face for a moment, noting the small look of confusion there. “Gwaine is my guest here, too. And he may not be of noble birth, but I can vouch that he has a noble heart.” Uther turns his head from where he is looking at his son to look at Gwaine, who has stopped in his struggle to rid his body of the hands holding him.</p><p>“How can you say that when you have seen the way he behaves?”</p><p>“Gwaine risked his life to save mine. I beg you, please, if a knight’s word is his bond, then I give you my word, Gwaine is a good man. He deserves clemency.” Uther looks at Arthur for a moment before turning back to Gwaine.</p><p>“You are banished from Camelot. If you ever return, you will pay for it with your life. You have until dawn to leave the city.” Uther immediately turns and leaves the room, and the guards pull Gwaine towards the door, causing the man to stumble out of the room. The man purses his lips as he meets Arthur’s eyes.</p>
<hr/><p>Merlin sighs contently as Gwaine runs his fingers through his hair. They are both lying in Merlin’s bed, tangled together beneath the sheet.</p><p>“I’m glad you’re not getting executed,” Merlin’s voice is muffled where his face is pressed into the older man’s chest, eyes closed, finger’s dancing up Gwaine’s skin.</p><p>“Well,” Gwaine is almost whispering, trying not to break the peace that is surrounding them. “You have the princess to thank for that. If he hadn’t stood up for me, I definitely would have been.”</p><p>“Arthur stood up for you?” Merlin lifts his head, planting his chin on Gwaine’s chest instead of his cheek. He frowns when Gwaine hums. “Oh,”</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“I just…didn’t think he’d do that. I didn’t think he liked you,” Gwaine snorts gently as he scratches the top of Merlin’s head. “What?”</p><p>“He definitely doesn’t like me. But,” Gwaine pauses, moving around a bit on the bed so he can get closer to Merlin. “He didn’t do it for me,”</p><p>“What do you mean?”</p><p>“You really are lucky you’re pretty, Merls,” He groans as he rolls his eyes. “Sometimes you can be a bit stupid,” Merlin growls lightly, grumbling as he hides his face in Gwaine’s bare chest again. They lay together in near silence, the only sounds their breathing, Merlin’s fingers drawing patterns up Gwaine’s skin and Gwaine’s pulling softly through Merlin’s hair.</p><p>“Promise me you’ll go home?” Gwaine’s fingers pause for a moment as he processes Merlin’s words.</p><p>“’Course I will,”</p><p>“And you’ll look after yourself?”</p><p>“Hmm,”</p><p>“And you won’t run away anymore?”</p><p>“I won’t,”</p><p>“You’ll apologise to Will and Percy?”</p><p>“I will,” Gwaine’s fingers pause again as he lifts his head slightly. “Wait, what?”</p><p>“They spent a very long time looking for you. And, I imagine, looking after you when you were drunk.”</p><p>“I will apologise to them,” Gwaine sighs.</p><p>“Good. Get my father to let me know when you’re back?”</p><p>“I will, Merlin,” He promises, pressing his body into Merlin’s</p><p>“Love you,” Merlin mumbles into Gwaine’s chest, kissing the skin delicately.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. chapter four</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“You’re in a good mood,” Arthur muses, looking up from his desk to watch as Merlin almost bounces around the room, humming quietly as he works. Merlin cocks his head slightly, barely glancing up at the older prince.</p>
<p>“Why shouldn’t I be?”</p>
<p>“Well,” Arthur coughs, shuffling uncomfortably in his chair. “I just thought, with Gwaine getting banished, you know, that you might be a bit…annoyed?”</p>
<p>“Annoyed?”</p>
<p>“With me.” He confirms with a small nod, mainly to himself. “Because I couldn’t stop it happening,”</p>
<p>“Arthur, you stopped him getting executed. God knows in any other Kingdom he wouldn’t have been so lucky.” Merlin sighs, looking up at Arthur as he finishes making the bed. “He wouldn’t have stuck around here much longer anyway. He has responsibilities in Ealdor, you know,”</p>
<p>“And you’re not upset that he can’t come back?”</p>
<p>“It’s not like I’ll never see him again, you know. I can always go home and see him. Plus, I have many more friends that can come and visit me and annoy you,” Merlin grins when Arthur rolls his eyes.</p>
<p>“No one could annoy me more than Gwaine did.”</p>
<p>“You’re lucky you haven’t met Will yet,” Merlin mutters.</p>
<p>“Do you have any <em>nice</em> friends?” Arthur groans, sounding more annoyed than he actually feels.</p>
<p>“You like Lance, don’t you?”</p>
<p>“Wow.” Arthur laughs, smiling. Merlin frowns playfully. “One nice friend. Good going, Merlin,”</p>
<p>“Freya’s very nice,”</p>
<p>“<em>Freya,</em>” Merlin rolls his eyes at Arthur’s tone. “Girlfriend of yours?”</p>
<p>“Not anymore,” He shrugs, moving to clear up the plates on the table.</p>
<p>“Why not?” Arthur asks, putting the paper he is reading down. He tries to keep his face neutral.</p>
<p>“It didn’t work out.” Merlin shrugs again. “We wanted different things. Still, she’s very nice. And Percy. Percy is the best. Or-”</p>
<p>“Okay, Merlin,” Arthur sighs, gathering all of the papers together and putting them in a pile. “I understand. You’re extremely popular.” Arthur stands up and moves across to the table on the other side of the room. “God knows why,”</p>
<p>“Probably my stellar personality, Sire.” Merlin grins. He ducks out of the room when Arthur throws a goblet at his head.</p><hr/>
<p>“I know what I saw, Gaius,” Merlin pauses at the door to the physician’s rooms when he hears Morgana’s hushed whispers. “It was so real…so vivid. I saw him die, Gaius,”</p>
<p>“These are just dreams, Morgana,” His uncle’s voice is only slightly louder than Morgana’s, still only just audible through the wood. “Are you taking the sleeping draught I made up for you?”</p>
<p>“Oh, it doesn’t help,” She dismisses. Merlin can hear how tired she is, can only imagine how worn out she looks. There is a tinkering of glass clinking together before he hears the physician talk again.</p>
<p>“Here, try this one. It will induce a deeper sleep. You’ve nothing to fear, my dear,” Merlin pushes the door open just as Morgana takes the vial from Gaius, frowning when he sees just how tired and upset Morgana actually looks.</p>
<p>“Thank you, Gaius,” She murmurs before she turns towards where Merlin has entered. The boy bows respectfully.</p>
<p>“My Lady,” She sighs as she smiles fondly.</p>
<p>“Merlin, I’ve told you. There is no need for such formalities between friends,” Merlin smiles at her softly but doesn’t reply, leaning himself against one of Gaius’s tables. “Thank you, again, Gaius,”</p>
<p>“It was no hardship, my child. Morgana?” He calls when she is opening the door again. She pauses and turns to look at him. “I don’t think you should bother Uther about this. There is no need to worry him,”</p>
<p>“Of course not, Gaius,” She smiles weakly and leaves the room. Gaius sighs heavily.</p>
<p>“Is she alright?” Merlin asks quietly, looking after where Morgana has left. “She looked very pale,” He comments.</p>
<p>“Her nightmares are getting worse,” Merlin hums softly as he perches himself more firmly on the table. “She claimed she had a vision of Arthur being killed,”</p>
<p>“Oh,” He frowns, picking up one of the jars on the table and swirling the liquid in it around. “Do you think they’re just dreams? Or something more?”</p>
<p>“Well, she’s told me of dreams she’s had before. Some of them have come to pass,”</p>
<p>“Oh.” He frowns again, glancing up briefly at his uncle. “Has she asked about them?”</p>
<p>“She has mentioned fears that it may be magic. That she can see the future,”</p>
<p>“What have you told her?”</p>
<p>“What do you think I told her?” Gaius doesn’t meet his eyes, keeps looking down at the book open in front of him.</p>
<p>“I don’t know, Gaius.” Merlin tries to keep his voice calm, tries to keep the scowl that’s on his face out of his tone. “That’s why I’m asking you.”</p>
<p>“Well, I couldn’t really tell Uther Pendragon’s ward that she potentially has magic,” Gaius says it so simply, like it’s the only answer. Merlin closes his eyes.</p>
<p>“You can’t keep her in the dark about this,” He almost growls. His voice is deep, rough around the edges. “She deserves to know.” He insists.</p>
<p>“It’s not that easy, Merlin,” Gaius still doesn’t look up at him properly, only sending his little glances as he continues with his work. “Uther-”</p>
<p>“Who cares about Uther?!” Merlin bites out, voice rising. One of the glasses on the table explodes, the contents spilling. “This is about Morgana and how she feels! She doesn’t deserve to live feeling scared of herself! She must be terrified living with someone like Uther with these thoughts and no support and you’re making her feel like that!”</p>
<p>There’s a rumble in the sky. Gaius doesn’t respond, just sighs heavily and continues working. Merlin grips the edge of the table, breathing deeply for a few long minutes.</p>
<p>“I’m sorry,” He sighs, rubbing his eyes harshly. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have shouted. It’s not your fault and I shouldn’t have suggested that it was.”</p>
<p>“It’s okay, my boy.” Gaius puts down the vial in his hand and turns to face the prince. “I know it is difficult for you to see someone going through this. I just think we have to be careful. If Uther gets wind of Morgana’s dreams or these thoughts she’s having, I fear what lengths he would go to,” Merlin nods, a little sadly. Gaius squeezes one of his shoulders before he changes the subject. “Have you decided anything about Sir Oswald and Ethan?”</p>
<p>“I don’t know what to do, Gaius,” He sighs heavily. “Their swords are easy enough to take care of. But, I don’t know how to expose them. I can’t really just walk up to them and take the necklaces off them. Plus, I don’t know what their goal is,”</p>
<p>“I could try and persuade Arthur to withdraw from the contest,”</p>
<p>“He won’t,” Merlin sighed immediately. “I know Arthur. I’ll have to somehow…use my powers to defend him. Should be easy enough without the swords to worry about, but they might still be strong fighters,”</p>
<p>“You’re going to use your powers with Uther and half of Camelot watching?”</p>
<p>“I don’t have a choice, Gaius. I can’t let him get killed.” Merlin sighs again, heavy. “I need to replace the swords though. After that, we’ll just see what happens, I guess.”</p><hr/>
<p>Arthur is with him in the armoury, before he starts training his knights, pretending to inspect and pick his weapons while sneaking glances at Merlin, worried frown on his face. He hides the worry as best as he can when he speaks.</p>
<p>“You’re going to run out of armour to polish if you keep doing it that hard, Merlin,” Merlin glared at Arthur’s teasing tone. “What happened to the good mood?”</p>
<p>“You know those moments when I tell you something isn’t a good idea?” He asked, hands stilling, gaze pinned on the older prince.</p>
<p>“And then I ignore you?” Arthur laughs quietly, slightly bemused, leaning against the wall and lets his eyes linger on Merlin’s form. “Yeah,”</p>
<p>“And then I’m proven right?”</p>
<p>“This is about the melee.” Arthur sighs, sitting down on the floor next to his servant. “Merlin, your concern for my wellbeing is touching, truly,”</p>
<p>“I’m serious. I think you should withdraw,”</p>
<p>“Look, I know you think the melee is some kind of…stupid game, but it’s more than that.” Arthur tells him, meeting his eyes. He smiles sightly, seriously, as he continues. “It’s about proving to my people that I’m fit to lead them,”</p>
<p>“I know, but-”</p>
<p>“You’re not going to convince me to pull out, Merlin.” His voice isn’t harsh, but there’s no space for an argument. His tone is a bit warmer when he teases Merlin. “Look, I don’t expect you to understand, Merlin, you’re not a knight,” Arthur bumps his shoulder against Merlin’s, causing the younger boy to snort. “A melee is the ultimate test of strength and courage. The swords are blunt. The chance of injury is…low,”</p>
<p>“But it’s not impossible?”</p>
<p>“No. It never is,” Arthur smirks as he uses Merlin’s shoulder to push himself up. “But, I’m the best fighter in Camelot. I’ll be fine. Now, are you going to be mopey all day, or are you going to come and train with me so I can prove to you just how good I am?”</p><hr/>
<p>Merlin watches the knights train, sitting against one of the fences. He keeps an eye on Oswald and Ethan, pleased when he sees that neither of them is a match for Arthur or Lancelot. Both of them stumble over their feet as they lunge forwards, miss their mark when they fight with their swords. However, they both, Oswald more so, elude such a confidence, sure of their abilities, and Merlin smirks when he sees them rubbing up the other knights unpleasantly. He laughs at Lancelot’s expression when he trudges over once Arthur gives them a break.</p>
<p>“Tell me you’ve sorted it,” Lancelot practically begs as he slumps next to Merlin. “Tell me you’ve sorted it and they’re going to be arrested and they’re going to <em>leave</em>,”</p>
<p>“I’ve figured out how to remove the charm from their swords,” Merlin tells him with a small, proud smile. “I don’t know how to reveal the identity charm they have going on, but it doesn’t really look like they’ll be much of an issue with normal swords,”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Lancelot laughs. He bumps his shoulder against Merlin’s. “I’m proud of you for figuring it out. I’m sorry I haven’t been much help,”</p>
<p>“It’s magic, Lance. I don’t think you’d be much help anyway,” Merlin laughs as he copies Lancelot’s movements. “Plus, you can help me later when I need to sneak into their chambers to fix the swords. Could do with a knight keeping guard.”</p><hr/>
<p>“Ah, Merlin. There you are,”</p>
<p>“Missing me already, Sire?” Merlin smiles brightly as he turns towards the older Prince, holding his hands behind his back. “Can’t live without me for an hour?”</p>
<p>“I need you to…what are you hiding behind your back?” Arthur asks, crossing his arms over his chest and raising an eyebrow.</p>
<p>“Nothing!” Merlin smiles innocently. He tucks the bunch of flowers into the back of his belt, then holds out his hands, stretching them out for Arthur to look. “See?”</p>
<p>“What are you up to?” Arthur tries to peer around Merlin. He raises his eyebrow when Merlin turns with him.</p>
<p>“Nothing, honestly,” Merlin laughs. “Arthur, I would <em>never </em>lie to you. I respect you far too much for that,” Arthur scoffs, but doesn’t say anything. “You wanted me to do something?”</p>
<p>“My boots need cleaning,” He murmurs, still looking bemused at Merlin.</p>
<p>“Oh.” Merlin nods, hands moving back behind his back. “Well, I’ll see to that right away,” Arthur nods his head back, staying still for a few moments before he realises he is staring. He clears his throat.</p>
<p>“Right. Good.” He says before turning and walking away. When he gets to the end of the hallway he turns around, just in time to see Merlin take the flowers out of his belt. He frowns when Merlin walks towards Morgana’s chambers.</p><hr/>
<p>It’s Gwen who answers when Merlin knocks on Morgana’s chamber door. She looks tired, but offers him a small smile.</p>
<p>“How is she?” He asks, keeping his voice down. He frowns when Gwen sighs heavily.</p>
<p>“I’ve never seen her like this before,” She admits, keeping her voice low. “I’m…I’m scared to leave her on her own,”</p>
<p>“Is there anything I can do to help?” Gwen smiles softly at Merlin’s offer. There’s a shuffle from inside the room. Morgana calls Gwen’s name. Gwen turns towards the sound.</p>
<p>“<em>Who is it?”</em></p>
<p>“It’s Merlin, My Lady,”</p>
<p>“<em>Oh,” </em>Merlin can hear a small smile in Morgana’s voice. “<em>Let him in, won’t you?”</em> Gwen opens the door wider, letting Merlin slip in past her. Morgana’s face lights up when she sees the flowers. “Merlin,” She breathes.</p>
<p>“My Lady,” He bows softly, small grin on his face when Morgana rolls her eyes. “I just wanted to check you were okay,” He hands her the flowers, watching as she brings them to her nose and sighs happily.</p>
<p>“Thank you, Merlin,” She stands up and floats across the room, finding a vase to put the flowers in. She smiles over at Gwen. “Would you mind going and fetching some water, Gwen? I’m sure Merlin won’t mind keeping me company for a while,”</p>
<p>“Not at all,” Merlin assures. Gwen sends him a grateful smile as she takes the vase from Morgana’s hands.</p>
<p>“Of course,” She turns her smile to Morgana, who sends one back at her. It remains on her face even when Gwen turns around and walks towards the door.</p>
<p>“How are you really?” Merlin asks once Gwen has left the room. He sends Morgana a sad smile when she sighs. She opens her mouth, but then hesitates. “You can trust me, Morgana. I won’t tell anyone,”</p>
<p>“Gaius doesn’t believe me,” Her voice is quiet, but she clears her throat. She looks up at Merlin, eyes wild. “But I know it is, Merlin, I can feel it. You have to believe me, Merlin, please,”</p>
<p>“Morgana-”</p>
<p>“His remedies don’t work. Merlin, you have to believe me, please,” She begs, taking Merlin’s hands in her own. “I know it, Merlin,”</p>
<p>“Morgana, you have to explain to me. I don’t know what you mean,” He swallows loudly. Her voice drops to a whisper.</p>
<p>“It…it’s magic, Merlin,”</p>
<p>“What?”</p>
<p>“Merlin, you have to believe me,” She begs again, eyes filling with tears. Some of them fall down her pale cheeks. “Merlin, you’re my friend. You know I wouldn’t make something like this up.”</p>
<p>“Of course,” His own voice is quiet, rough. He knows what Gaius said, and he knows what he said was probably true. Morgana would be in danger if she knew it was magic. But he can see how scared she is, the fear that’s painted on her face, making her shake and sob and <em>cry </em>right in front of him.</p>
<p>He doesn’t know what to do.</p>
<p>“Then you believe me? You think it’s magic too? Please, Merlin,” She begs once more, eyes wide, hope shining through. “I just need to hear someone say it, so I don’t have to keep feeling like I’m imagining it,”</p>
<p>“I…Morgana, I…”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>hey! so its been a while ahah &amp; this is a short chapter but i just wanted to let you know that i haven't forgotten or stopped working on this fic:) since i started writing it my hyperfixation on merlin has sort of fizzled and it's deff not 100% back but i'm interested enough to continue writing again. so updates might be slow and they will certainly be irregular but i just thought i'd let you know that i'm still here:)))<br/>also if you wanna you can come see me on <a href="http://prettymalfoy.tumblr.com">tumblr</a>, it's more of a mcu blog atm with the occasional merlin sprinkled in but you can come and chat &amp; talk to me and stuff<br/>hope you're doing well &amp; thanks for reading bubs xo</p>
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